Found Faithful

"That servant who knows his master's will

and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows.

But the one who does not know

and does things deserving punishment 

will be beaten with few blows.

From everyone who has been given much,

much will be demanded;

and from the one who has been entrusted with much,

much more will be asked."

Luke 12:47-48

I remember the day I finally graduated from college.  It had been a long road with several interruptions, including marriage and a child, but finally I had finished the degree I had worked on for so long.  I don't remember much from that day, but I do remember a few of the words given to us at our graduation ceremony.  "With this degree comes opportunity, but also responsibility."  

I had never thought of the duty that came along with the privilege of holding a higher education.  I knew things I didn't know a few years before.  Much knowledge had been passed on from professors who were well known in their field; information that they imparted with the hope that we, their students, would then use it to make a difference in the world, to improve our field of work or at least to do good.  They taught us and now it was our turn to use the knowledge conscientiously.  Or, as Uncle Ben warned his nephew Peter Parker in the movie Spiderman, "With great power comes great responsibility."

God holds us responsible for what we know and what we've been given.  Nothing truly belongs to me.  Instead, I've been entrusted to hold it for a time, but my Master will soon be back and He will take account of how I have managed His possessions.  If I act as if He won't be back for a long time, living my life for me, I will be counted as an unbeliever.  (v 45-46)

I don't want to live my life as one who has not been saved from the fire.  Instead, I want to be found faithful in what He has given to me.  Therefore, there are a few things for which I'm responsible.

Following His Teachings

My husband served as an active duty soldier for 24 years and spent a few years stationed at Ft Bragg, North Carolina.  While there, my husband once enlisted the help of two of his soldiers to house-sit for us while we were away on vacation.  I gave them explicit instructions regarding our three cats.  I wrote down detailed descriptions of each feline and introduced them to their charges.  They claimed to understand and seemed to take it seriously.

Much to my dismay, one of our cats was missing when we returned from our vacation.  It seems the young men mistakenly thought we only had two cats so when they let them outside, they only looked for two to come back in.  Middy was gone for six weeks before we finally received a call from our vet who told us that someone had found our sweet kitty.

Those two young men did not follow the directions I so painstakingly left for them.  I didn't want anything to happen to our belongings or pets while we were gone so I went to great lengths to educate them on the ways of our home.  Unfortunately, they did not pay close attention.

How similar this is to me and God!  He has left detailed instructions on how He wants me to live the life He's given to me while I'm here on earth.  He covered everything from my attitude to my possessions.  I can't say that I don't know what He wants; He's spelled it out pretty clearly.

The problem is that there are so many other things to get my attention, just as I'm sure those young soldiers were mostly focused on the fact that they got to live in a home and escape the barrack life for a week.  Consequently, their attention was not where it should be: They shirked their responsibilities.

In the same way, my focus is easily drawn away from what Jesus teaches.  He instructs me to turn the other cheek and pray for those who persecute me.  Instead, the world encourages me to stand up for myself and to not let anyone walk all over me.  Since my flesh is inclined to defend my rights, I easily forget what I've learned at my Savior's feet.

Jesus tells me to be humble in spirit and think of others before I think of me.  All around me, though, I'm bombarded with messages of survival of the fittest and looking out for #1.  "Only the strong survive," I'm told, and I easily buy into it, forsaking what Jesus taught me.

When I pay attention to what Jesus says, I find that He wants me to give and pray without thought of trying to impress man.  Unfortunately, I am surrounded by those who judge me according to what I do or don't do and I find it so tempting to want to gain their approval by my obedient tithing, praying practices or other godly pursuits.

To be found faithful upon Jesus' return, I will need to follow the teachings of Jesus above all other traditions or desires.

Listening and Responding

When my daughters were younger, I always knew when they would obey and when they had no intention of doing what I said.  If they responded appropriately, I knew they got the message and would follow through.  But, if they only said, "okay, Mom" in a distracted way, I knew their heart was not in it and soon I would find the chores undone, warranting disciplinary action.

Paying attention to what Jesus teaches me is only part of the process.  I also need to have a heart that is attuned to His voice and a willingness to obey.  Most of the battle occurs within my will.  Learning what He wants is not an issue: I enjoy reading God's Word and meditating on the truths found there.      

Following the teachings of Jesus carefully, however, involves more than just knowing His Word.  Jesus said, "If you love me, you will obey what I command."  (John 14:15)  Thankfully, my salvation does not rest on my ability to follow His teachings. (Ephesians 2:8-9)  Rather, it is a test to see how seriously I take what He says.  His Word is easy to receive, but to let it change me means I have to let go of a lot of things I may hold dear. Things like my comfort, my fears, my doubts, my weaknesses, my desires, my ambitions. . .In other words, I need to let go of more of me to make more room for Him.

And that brings me to the other good news: I am not left alone to accomplish this duty.  Instead, God has left me His Spirit to empower me, to teach me and to convict me.  (John 14:26)  I don't need to depend on my weak, human flesh to do as He has taught me.  Instead, I can follow the Spirit's lead as He guides me from within:  But I must pay attention and respond.

To be found faithful upon Jesus' return I will need to heed the Spirit's guidance as He leads me in following the teachings of Christ.

Good Steward

In the 24 years that my husband and I have been married, we have lived in our share of military housing.  Even though it feels like my home wherever my family lives, it is always at the back of my mind that the house does not belong to us.  It was entrusted to us by the U.S. government with the understanding that we would treat it well, living up to the standards they have set.

As a follower of Christ, my life is not my own. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)  I belong to Him, bought with His precious blood as He took my punishment when dying on the cross for my sins.  As such, it is my duty to treat all that is given to me with the utmost care.

God has entrusted me with gifts of His Spirit.  These could include teaching, preaching, serving, prophesying,  giving, encouraging, leadership, mercy, healing, or many others.  Gifts were given to me to build up the body of Christ.  Once I figure out what He's given me, fear, doubt or something else may inhibit me from using them to glorify God.

It could be I have a knack for teaching but a lack of confidence.  I've never been one to want to be the center of attention and have, in fact, shunned the spotlight all of my life. If God has equipped me to teach His Word, I need not fear my own weakness.  Instead, I can boldly step in front of the class and let Him use me to feed and edify His body.

Maybe I've known that I have been given the gift of encouragement but I tend to keep it to myself, mostly sharing it with family and friends.  In order for me to be found faithful with what God has given me, I must use it as often as God calls me to put it into practice, even if it doesn't seem to be my place.  It's important to remember that everyone needs encouragement, especially those in leadership positions. 

Perhaps I've learned of a gift God has given to me but I'm embarrassed to use it.  I may wonder if people will think I'm strange, archaic or too big for my britches.  Whatever the cause of my fear, I must remember that a gift is meant to be used and its purpose is to build up, enlarge and exhort the Body of Christ.  Using my gift can only bring glory to God and there's no shame in that!

To be found faithful upon Jesus' return, I will need to identify my gifts and use them in a way that glorifies God.

As a follower of Christ, I have been given much responsibility.  I am imparted with the directive to pay close attention to what Jesus teaches, to heed and obey these commandments as empowered and led by His Spirit, and to strive for good stewardship of the gifts and other blessings He has given to me.  In this way, I hope to be found ready upon my Masters return,and to hear the words I long to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:23)

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can be found faithful with what God has entrusted me.

How do I squander His gifts, using them only as I feel comfortable or letting them lie dormant?

Which of the teachings of Jesus do I know, but fail to put it into practice?