CAN GOD TRUST YOU WITH WHAT HE HAS GIVEN YOU?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“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 16:10)

MEDITATION:
“He cannot be trusted” and “You can’t believe a word she says”
are phrases we have all heard too many times. What causes
others to say those things about a person? It’s a result of the
reputation they have established, isn’t it?

The reputations we create are important, especially for Christians.
We can create negative reputations, but we can also create positive
reputations. If we are dishonest, then people will say that we cannot
be trusted. However if we are honest, then others will be confident
that we can be a trusted friend of theirs.

Reputations are established in little things and grow with bigger things.
For instance, if someone loans us a dollar and we pay it back, then they
will be more likely to loan us more. If someone loans us a tool and we not
only return it, but it is in the same condition it was when they loaned it
to us, then they will feel comfortable loaning us other tools.

When it comes to Christians, being trustworthy is important for many
reasons. For one, if we can be trusted, then people will be more receptive
to us when we share our faith with them. Unfortunately some who claim
to be Christians have a ‘walk’ that doesn’t match their ‘talk’. When that
happens, they can appear to others as someone who is untrustworthy.

Some claim to have a love for the Lord, but spend very little time
with Him. Some avoid worship altogether, or only worship when
they have nothing else to do. Our worship serves as confirmation
of our faith and commitment to following God’s will for our life.
    Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that
    cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship
    God acceptably with reverence and awe…
    (Hebrews 12:29)

Whether we like it or not, those who are lost observe us. They
may not say anything to us, but they may question the sincerity
of our faith. At any rate, our actions (or inactions) will affect
their opinion of us, and our faith. If they cannot see that we are
worshippers of Jesus, then they could quite possibly be thinking,
    “Why should I believe what they say about their
      faith? In fact, I’m just as good as they are, and
      maybe better, because I worship, and they don’t”

There is another reason we need to be trusted is our relationship
with the Lord. When we are genuinely saved, God gives us spiritual
gifts to use in serving Him. If we fail to use His gift to us, then we
may very well lose it, and God will give it to someone who has proven
trustworthy with the gift He has given them (read Matthew 25:14-30).

We may only receive one spiritual gift until we prove we can be
trusted to use it. When God sees that we can be trusted to use
the gift He has given us, we may receive additional spiritual
gifts from Him. How great would that be? When God gives us
any additional spiritual gifts, it confirms to us that we have, in
fact, proven ourselves to be trustworthy in His eyes.

ACTION:
What type of reputation do you think you have established?
Would others agree with your assessment of yourself? If others
observed your actions, would they know without a doubt that
you have a fervent love for the Lord?

Or, would others question your love for Him based on what they
see in you? Have you identified the spiritual gift the Lord gave you
when you were saved? Are you using that gift, or is it collecting
dust? Have you been blessed with additional spiritual gifts?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for wanting to include me in
Your earthly ministry. Make me aware of any of my actions
that cause others to view me as untrustworthy. Help me to
make whatever changes I need to make to ensure others will
know of my sincere love for You. Show me if I have fallen into
any of Satan’s traps of justifying anything I do (or don’t do),
that is really disobedience to Your commands. I pray that You
can trust me with a little, so that You can trust me with much.
When I am serving You, Your satisfaction, and not the praise
of men, is what’s important to me.”

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