The Blessing of Ordinary / Day 9

The Blessing of Ordinary

Day 9 of 10 Well Done This reading plan isn't about devaluing great acts of faith, but about enlarging the circle of great faith to include the "ordinary" acts of all humans on the spectrum, not just the upfront people. God isn't asking you to be famous; God's asking you to be faithful…before any great acts, after any great acts, or without any great acts. In Matthew 25, when Jesus returns to see what we've been up to, He doesn't seem too concerned with our worldly accomplishments, but rather wants to know what we've done with what we've been given, even if it's "just" working in the "fields" or "grinding the grain." The words we should hope to hear are "Well done, my good and faithful servant," not "Well done, my good and successful servant." The displeasure of the Master with the one servant in the parable isn't about the lack of dividends but for the reasons behind the lack of dividends. If we retold the parable today, I think an accurate paraphrase of the One Talent Fellow's excuse would sound something like this: "It wasn't much compared to everyone else, so I did nothing with it." We don't know what the reward would've been for the One Talent Fellow, but if the previous rewards give us a clue, it sounds like he would've been given many things and the opportunity to share in the Master's happiness. The man was cast out because he wasn't faithful to the Master's business. In the Gospels, we learn all about the Master's business. It's to bear fruit as we abide in Jesus by loving like Jesus loved. How can you love the others in your sphere with the unique gifts God has blessed you with? Can you be faithful in that? Faithfulness doesn't mean you're never tired or you haven't made some mistakes. It means you're seeking to be faithful to what you know to be true of the Master's heart. When you mess up, don't bury the mistake like the One Talent Fellow. You know the Master wants you to own up to it, so confess, and receive grace. And sometimes faithfulness doesn't mean pressing on, but it means saying no, taking a rest, or asking for help. Faithfulness is a marathon not a sprint. It's a race, but it's not a competition. Tomorrow we'll wrap up our thoughts with one final concept that places faithfulness in the character of God and the context of the everyday. Matthew 25:14-30 NKJV 14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.  19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’  21 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.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’  23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. John 15:9-15 NKJV 9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.  12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.