Faithful in the Little Things
The Parable of the Ten Minas (Luke, Chapter 19, 11-27). Woodcut after a drawing by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (German painter, 1794 - 1872) from my archive, published in 1877.
What are you doing with what you have? Are you being faithful with the time, talents, and resources you have been entrusted with?
When we are faithful in what we have been given, God will trust us with greater things.
In the Parable of the minas, Jesus tells the story of a nobleman who goes out to a far country to receive a kingdom. The nobleman entrusted ten servants with one mina each and instructed them to do business in the land and to represent him in the marketplace.
After receiving his kingdom and returning, the nobleman requested the ten servants to give an account of how they invested his minas. The first servant doubled his master’s minas and was rewarded ten cities for his faithfulness.
Luke’s Gospel account tells us, “The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’” (Luke 19:16-17, ESV).
The parable continues with the second servant reporting to his master that he had collected an additional five minas from investing the master’s one mina. The master was also pleased with this servant and he praised his servant’s accomplishment as a job well done and he rewarded his servant with five cities.
Luke tells us, “And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’” (Luke 19:18-19, ESV).
The third servant to report to the master returned what he had been given, having failed to do business on behalf of his master out of fear and distrust. This servant was unfaithful to his master and doubted his master’s successful return and lordship.
Luke tells the account of the unfaithful servant, saying, “Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’” (Luke 19:20-21, ESV).
This third servant was judged strictly for his unfaithfulness. His mina was taken and given to the one who had made the ten minas.
Luke tells us that the master said to those who stood by, “‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ [The master replied,] ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Luke 19:24-26, ESV).
We are to be faithful stewards of our master’s resources. When we are faithful with what we have been given, God will entrust us to be faithful over much more. We must be faithful in the little things and God will make us faithful over so much more as we trust him, as we do his business in the world, and as we represent him well—recognizing he is our Lord and King.
May we be found as faithful servants of our Lord and master as we faithfully serve him and do the business he has given us to do in this world, and as we anticipate that our master will make us faithful over so much more when we are faithful in the little things.
In Christ alone, Robbie
Post Communion Prayer: “And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To him, to you, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
The Parable of the Ten Minas (Luke, Chapter 19, 11-27). Woodcut after a drawing by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (German painter, 1794 - 1872) from my archive, published in 1877.
