The Test of Faithfulness

UV 1011/10,000 Test of Faithfulness Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. Luke 16 v 10 God tests us for our faithfulness by first entrusting us smaller resources, smaller responsibilities and letting us face smaller challenges. He checks if we are faithful stewards of the little that He first gives us. He looks to see how diligently we handle smaller responsibilities. He examines our hearts as we take on small challenges, difficulties and problems. Do we muster the little strength that we have in our inner selves to confront the challenge or do we succumb to fear, insecurity, worry and do we whine, complain, curse ? The principle of honest and ethical conduct is contained in this uni-verse: if we are honest and trustworthy in a little, we will be honest and trustworthy in much. When we prove ourselves honest and trustworthy in a little, the Lord promotes us to the next level. Our hearts should not be seduced to depend on our resources, abilities or positions of power and authority, whether in little or much. Abraham passed the test of faithfulness in his response to God’s call to leave his father’s land and travel from Ur to present day Israel. He further passed the test of obedience in offering to sacrifice his only begotten son, Isaac. Therefore, God was pleased with Abraham and called him a Friend of God. God entered into covenant with him forever to bless his descendants. He even tried to fulfilled his responsibility as a father and a husband to Hagar and Ishmael. Under the instigation of Sarah he was compelled to send them away. But before sending them away, he placed a bottle of water and a piece of bread in Hagar’s hands as provision. That bread and water that Abraham provided did not last and God provided for Hagar and Ishmael in the desert and even fulfilled His promise to the descendants of Abraham through Ishmael that they would be numerous and be the princes of nine nations. The Lord tells us today that we should not trust in the bread and water that Abraham or man provides but trust in the provision of the Lord. Though it appears to be little it will be sufficient for all our need. We need to believe and act on the assurance that a little gained honestly is far more blessed and greater than a lot gained with dishonest means. Just as Abraham was promoted to be a priest of righteousness, a prophet of God and a prince of blessing, when we prove ourselves to be faithful at each level in our spiritual journey, the Lord promotes us to be priests, prophets and princes of Zion or the Kingdom of God. It is a sense of absolute security, certain or sure hope and trust in the Lord taking care of their every need that the honest and faithful have that they remain content with a little, knowing that when that is over, the Lord will replenish them. It is a sense of insecurity and distrust of God that drives people to put their trust in uncertain riches and to be never satisfied, regardless of how much they have in their possession. Prateep V Philip