I find so few Christians really have grasped this principle that God examines the tiniest details of our lives and only when He can pass those, is He prepared to grant us promotion to more important things.
Now this is brought out in a very well-known parable, the parable of the talents, which is found in Matthew 25, verses 14 through 29. It says it so well:
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. [Notice that - God is going to settle accounts with us one day.]
The man who had received five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ His master said, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many.’ [Note the order - faithful in few, put in charge of many.] The one who had received the two talents came and said, ‘I’ve gained two more talents. [The answer was the same:] ‘Well done, you’ve been faithful over the few things, I’ll put you in charge of many.’ But the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! You ought to have given it into the hands of the bankers and they would have given me my money back with interest.’ And he banished that servant from his presence and to outer darkness.” (NIV)
Why? My answer is, simply because he has not been faithful in the little. He thought that didn't matter. God attached tremendous importance to it and I think it's very significant that it's the people who have the fewer talents who are the most likely to make that error. We have to know that God attaches value to everything He has given us, be it we have received many talents, or only one, and that He wants us to us it.
Lord, help me to be faithful in the little things, and develop all the talents You gave me, within my relationship with You and in the power You give me. Help me to always keep in mind that You value the talents and opportunities You gave me so that I can work with joy to make You my Father happy. Amen.
