A friend in Bible study recently said she desperately wanted to know her calling. She looked around our group, “God made you a Bible teacher,” she said to me. She pointed to the friend next to her and said, “God made you good at many things. I don’t do anything. What does God want me to do?”
It’s easy to compare ourselves with others and come up short. Every Christ follower is called to represent Him in our sphere of influence (2 Cor. 5:21). The response of the group showed that what was hidden from our friend was obvious to the rest of us. Christ’s mercy and love virtually flow from our compassionate sister. She hadn’t seen that loving others in tangible ways was part of her calling.
Since humankind’s fall in the Garden of Eden, we’ve all struggled to find a sense of significance. We want to know our lives matter. We think our success in life is connected to being outstanding in a particular area. Well, it is. But the trait Jesus highlights may surprise you.
Being faithful tops being sensational.
When Jesus illustrated what He hopes to find at His return He didn’t spotlight an esteemed synagogue teacher or a powerful political leader. He described someone involved in the repetitive work of feeding a household. He described faithfulness.
The faithful servant Jesus described sounds like a mother! Click To Tweet“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns” (Matthew 24:45-47 NLT).
What could be more ordinary than managing a household and overseeing meals?
Being faithful in ordinary roles is extraordinary to Jesus! Click To TweetWhat unique role do you play in your circle of influence? Are you someone’s spouse, parent, friend, or child? No one else can replace you in those roles. Being faithful in these unique areas pleases Jesus and fulfills your purpose.
Faithfulness pleases God and brings us joy.
Jesus emphasized the importance of faithfulness in the parable of the talents In this story, an owner distributed talents to three servants according to their abilities. Two immediately put their talents to work. The third buried his. The master rewarded the two who employed their talents. He punished the lazy servant who buried his.
“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matt. 25:22).
The servants who faithfully invested their gifts not only earned their master’s praise, but they received the ability to enter into his joy!
The world will always applaud talent and achievements. God will always applaud faithfulness. Click To TweetSince God distributes talents as He chooses, gifting doesn’t impress Him.
Many people deal with repetitive tasks in their work and roles. With Mother’s Day approaching let’s apply this to mothers of young children. Our culture minimizes the importance raising children. How can picking up toys and cleaning up messes matter in the scheme of life?
That is part of nurturing our children, and that matters greatly to God. When God wanted to change history He often chose a baby and a godly mom. Think of Samuel and Hannah, Moses and Jochebed, and Jesus and Mary.
When God wanted to change history He often chose a baby and a godly mom. #motherhood #mothersday Click To TweetOur schools reel with turmoil as children, who’ve been left to fend for themselves, act out their frustration in their classrooms. What you do matters not only now but for eternity. Now that’s significant!
God’s called each of us to be faithful and bloom where we’re planted with the abilities He’s provided. He sees our hidden acts of obedience and will reward our faithfulness. Your life matters in His story.
What assignments from God have you minimized because they looked so ordinary?
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Blessings,
Online Bible Study
Ladies, I’d love to have you join me for an online Bible study this summer on Give Yourself a Break. We’ll start either Thurs. June 8th or Wed. June 14th. To reserve a spot or if you have questions, please let me know in the comments or contact me. Also, please mention if one evening works better for you than another. The study runs 10 weeks.
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What a wonderful post Debbie! Beautiful and so encouraging. Watching all my daughter in law and son do for the new little baby and how exhausting it is makes me love them all the more. I did all the same things but I don’t honestly remember the exhaustion now – just the joy and I know they will too. I love the way you called managing a household a place of influence. I wrote an e-book called Entrepreneurs for Eternity talking about how moms are just that! I wish you a truly blessed and beautiful Mother’s Day my friend.
Ann, what a great title and truth! Yes, those little bundles of joy require lots of time and energy! I know you are enjoying this stage in life with them. I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day too.
Thanks again, Debbie, for these insights. We need the reminder to be faithful in these “little” things, no matter our age or stage of life.
You’re so right, Jacque. Every stage of life is filled with repetitive tasks add up to more than we realize. Have a good week.
Thanks, Debbie. 🙂
Thank you, Nan!
Thank you Debbie for this encouraging word on how the Lord rewards our faithfulness! So many moms (including myself)need this reminder of the significance of how we serve our families before the Lord.
Thank you, Leah. I’m glad it spoke to where you are.
As a blogger and aspiring author, I’ve struggled not to compare myself to others, Debbie. But one thing that God taught me just recently is that He did not call me to be successful but faithful. When I realized that, I wrote that thought on an index card, determined not to forget it the next time I play the comparison game or grow discouraged over not making some milestone or achievement. Your message is right on target! Love it!
Beth, comparison kills our spirits doesn’t it. I know what it can do to me. I’d say God’s spells success—F.A.I.T.H.F.U.L.
Faithful tops sensational. Yes, indeed! It’s hard for us to remember.
Helene, it sure is hard to remember when sensational looks so much fun!
We mothers need to come back to this truth time and time again (every day?)! We imagine doing some great thing for God, and get frustrated that we are being “limited” by our day to day duties. It helps me to come back to the truth that God calls all his people to “do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly” with Him. Sounds like a mum’s job description to me!
Amen, Michele! I love that verse and you’re right. It also sounds like a “mum’s job.” In heaven I think we’ll be able to see our jobs from a very different perspective and wonder why we were so easily sidetracked from the important while on earth.
What a challenging final question, Debbie! And excellent point. Thanking the Lord that He calls us to and helps us into faithfulness!
Yes, Bethany. Great to remember that He helps us be faithful.
Debbie, I wanted to drop by and say hello, and I got a bushelful of encouragement from your Mother’s day post. I thank you for this reminder to be faithful dear friend. Your heart for God is such an inspiration. I am so glad I visited today. Have a wonderful day and a blessed #MothersDay weekend.
Horace, I always love hearing from you! Thanks so much for your encouragement. Blessings to you, my friend!
Thanks for sharing, Debbie—this is such an encouraging post! Motherhood is such a privilege, yet it comes with years of ordinary, stressful, exhausting work. It’s good to take a moment and remember that faithfulness in our “job” as moms pleases God, and oh yes, it brings us so much joy! Stopping by from #MomentsofHope
Laura, when we’re doing the same thing over and over again it’s easy to forget our work matters. Thanks so much for adding to our discussion.
I love this one, Debbie! I think that as women we can easily be tempted to comparison. When we do, we are doomed because we either see ourselves as less than or more than and both are faulty. Only the Lord’s view of us and who he created us to be really matters. He is the only one who sees us 100% accurately. Thanks for all you say and do to encourage the hearts of your readers to stay centered in the truth of the Lord’s words and perspectives! I also think the calling to be a mom is one of the highest of callings! We shape the next generation in the process of handling that assignment!
Pam, you are so right. comparison dooms us either way. Love hearing from you! Happy Mother’s Day!
I hate the comparison trap! It is deadly to our hearts! It can be so hard to focus on what God has called us to if we are feeling like it’s mundane…which, I think everyone’s ministry and calling feels mundane at times!
Thanks for sharing on Grace and Truth.