{Be Devoted} Will He Say Well Done to Me?

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little;

I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” // Matthew 25:21

Aren’t those the words that every one of us wants to hear when we stand before Almighty God? As I reflect and reminisce over 2013, I am reminded that I don’t want to waste my life. I don’t want to let the years that God has given me fly by without being intentional for His Kingdom. Often in my humanness I find myself thinking about what I could do that would be really BIG for God. I want to go on a mission trip… that would be pretty awesome. If I spend a month in Africa then I’ll be doing something amazing for God. I mean, what more could He ask for? How sacrificial of me. Those were literally the selfish thoughts going through my mind. And if I’m not mistaken, I’m pretty sure many of us think about the “big” things we can do for God – and that’s not a bad thing! But a few weeks ago, God gave me a huge, convicting wake up call. He said to me,

“A good and faithful servant isn’t just faithful in the big things.” 

Woah. Everything started clicking in my head once God revealed that thought to me. A good and faithful servant isn’t held in high regard because of that one time that he cleaned the house until it was spotless and shining. For those mornings when he had a fantastic quiet time. For that really great thing he did for his Master. No… a good and faithful servant is faithful everyday. A good and faithful servant is faithful in the small, everyday actions; the unprompted moments of obedience. God is not going to call me His good and faithful servant unless I am faithful to Him in the little things.

In the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25, where this verse is located, the Master had entrusted his talents to his servants – and left them to take care of what he had given. After a long time, the Master came back and the servants went to settle accounts with him. To the servants who multiplied, used, and increased what they had been given, the Master said, “you have been faithful over LITTLE; I will set you over MUCH.” But to the servant who did nothing with his talent, the Master said, “You wicked and slothful servant!” because he had wasted what was given to him and didn’t invest his talent. Yet isn’t that what we do so often in our own lives? We have this gift of life. Our God has abundantly and graciously given us this opportunity to live. We can choose what we do with it – where we invest our time and how we use our voice.

Oh, that we would let these verses resonate in our hearts. That we would be people who are faithful over little things – getting up and having our quiet time. Being respectful to our parents. Praying passionately with faith. Loving every person He puts in our lives. Only then can we be faithful over the big dreams and desires He has given us!

“Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen in whom my soul delights” Isaiah 42:1

So this is my New Years aspiration: to be faithful in the little things. Won’t you join me?