Jesus begins the parable of the talents with these words: ‘For the kingdom of heaven is like’ (v. 14 NKJV). And one of the strongest points He makes is the importance of being faithful. Whether God gives you five talents, two talents, or one talent, the thing that matters to Him is your faithfulness. ‘His lord said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord”’ (v. 21 NKJV). You will notice that He did not say, ‘Well done, popular servant’, or ‘brilliant servant’, but ‘faithful servant’. Christ is talking about those who are often unnoticed but indispensable to His purposes. He is talking about those who blow no trumpets, wave no banners, and demand no applause. He is talking about those who show up day after day and use the talents God gives them, to do the job He has assigned to them. Unnoticed by people, but noticed and rewarded by God! ‘For God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of love which you have shown towards His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister’ (Hebrews 6:10 NKJV). These words describe those who shun the limelight and are happy to serve in the shadows. They describe those who not only start the race but run the race day after day, who don’t stop until they reach the finish line. Others may not think that you make much of a difference, but God does. While others make much out of skill levels and success levels, God measures you by your faithfulness.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.