“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag 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. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘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 gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

Faithful in every endeavor he found himself, the story of the 3 servants in the story above is one vital principle: to him who has been faithful in little, more shall be added. Faithfulness precedes increase. Paul states in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 “This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”We re all stewards of the gifts and graces of God, and it is expected of stewards to prove faithful. Everybody no matter how adverse his or her background, has been given something by God. We can take responsibility for our respective stations in life, diligently apply ourselves, and multiply what we have , or we can complain about what we don’t have and neglect to do something with the little we have. God expects us to be faithful with whatever has been committed to us and he expects us to increase it.

If we work on what God has committed to us, God rewards us with increase. In Jesus’ parable of the talents, the servants who were faithful with what they had and increased it, more was added. The other servant who did nothing with his had his only talent taken from him.

Faithfulness is winning attitude. Everywhere you find faithful people, they work to make it better. They are committed to growth and development of their families, workplaces, businesses, nations and the Kingdom of God.

Its time to take inventory of all God has committed to us.
Make a fresh commitment to be faithful.
Refuse to despise what we have in an inordinate pursuit of what we perceive we do not yet have.
Work with what we have and start right there with contentment.
Do not postpone the starting time, now is the best and appropriate time.
God definitely rewards faithfulness with increase.

Ruthy A.