Faithfulness Leads to Promotion
Matthew 25:22-23 (NKJV)
He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
The last lesson that I want to draw from this parable is faithfulness always leads to promotion – eventually!
The two servants who had been ‘faithful over a few things’ were promoted in their master’s kingdom when he returned from his long journey. They had done well with their responsibilities and, as a result, they were given greater responsibilities. Verse 23 says that they ‘entered into their master’s joy’ – in other words, their master had been made happy by his increase and they got a share of that increase!
When we are faithful to use what we have been given, we will be given more. Don’t try to force it; God will do it! As we prove faithful in the responsibilities we have today we will be given greater responsibilities tomorrow.
It’s a bit like the teenager who wants to borrow his dad’s car. If he can’t look after his dad’s bike then there is no way he’ll be allowed to use his dad’s car! It comes back to the issue of trust again – when you can be trusted in ‘small’ things you’ll be given responsibility over ‘big’ things (Luke 16:10). In God’s kingdom, perhaps the ‘small’ things are our natural responsibilities – and perhaps the ‘big’ things are spiritual responsibilities. You can’t expect God to give you responsibility in His kingdom if you can’t get the ‘small’ stuff right in your daily life!
Being faithful doesn’t have a time limit. The master’s journey was LONG! We need to determine that we will be consistently faithful no matter how long we have to wait for the reward. When our motivation is love for our master we will remain faithful; but when our motivation is the reward or promotion we are bound to fail! My faithfulness to my wife is driven by my love for her and it has no time limit - “till death us do part”.
Lastly, when we are faithful with that which belongs to another man - his possessions, his family, his reputation, or his vision - God will bless and increase that which belongs to us.
So make the decision today to remain faithful no matter how long you have to wait for the ‘prize’ and make Philippians 3:13-14 your prayer today: “...forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Don’t hold back at all when it comes to being faithful to God – there is a great reward!
Steuart Payne
Executive Pastor, Family Church
(This week’s devotionals are written by one of the Family Church pastors. Enjoy!)
He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
The last lesson that I want to draw from this parable is faithfulness always leads to promotion – eventually!
The two servants who had been ‘faithful over a few things’ were promoted in their master’s kingdom when he returned from his long journey. They had done well with their responsibilities and, as a result, they were given greater responsibilities. Verse 23 says that they ‘entered into their master’s joy’ – in other words, their master had been made happy by his increase and they got a share of that increase!
When we are faithful to use what we have been given, we will be given more. Don’t try to force it; God will do it! As we prove faithful in the responsibilities we have today we will be given greater responsibilities tomorrow.
It’s a bit like the teenager who wants to borrow his dad’s car. If he can’t look after his dad’s bike then there is no way he’ll be allowed to use his dad’s car! It comes back to the issue of trust again – when you can be trusted in ‘small’ things you’ll be given responsibility over ‘big’ things (Luke 16:10). In God’s kingdom, perhaps the ‘small’ things are our natural responsibilities – and perhaps the ‘big’ things are spiritual responsibilities. You can’t expect God to give you responsibility in His kingdom if you can’t get the ‘small’ stuff right in your daily life!
Being faithful doesn’t have a time limit. The master’s journey was LONG! We need to determine that we will be consistently faithful no matter how long we have to wait for the reward. When our motivation is love for our master we will remain faithful; but when our motivation is the reward or promotion we are bound to fail! My faithfulness to my wife is driven by my love for her and it has no time limit - “till death us do part”.
Lastly, when we are faithful with that which belongs to another man - his possessions, his family, his reputation, or his vision - God will bless and increase that which belongs to us.
So make the decision today to remain faithful no matter how long you have to wait for the ‘prize’ and make Philippians 3:13-14 your prayer today: “...forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Don’t hold back at all when it comes to being faithful to God – there is a great reward!
Steuart Payne
Executive Pastor, Family Church
(This week’s devotionals are written by one of the Family Church pastors. Enjoy!)
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