The Faithful Man, Part 3
During the reign of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, a heartwarming story made the headlines of British news. The story is told of a homeless young dog that wandered the streets and came to the feet of a guard attached to St. James Palace. The dog was covered with snow and was both hungry and cold. The guard picked up the dog and fed him, and gave him the name Jack. Jack became so attached to the guard that he was adopted to be the mascot for the Scots Guards.
During the Crimean War of 1853-1856, Jack could be seen side by side with his master on the battlefield. When his master was mortally wounded during a battle, Jack stood faithfully by his master’s side until both were removed from the battlefield. Hearing of the courage this noble dog displayed, Queen Victoria was deeply touched. She had a miniature Victoria Cross made, which is Britain’s highest military decoration for gallantry, and she placed it on the collar of the dog. The guard died and was buried in the cemetery. However, Jack did not live for the award but lived for his master. For the next 12 years, Jack would make his way through the iron gates of the cemetery and lay down upon the grave of his master. There, Jack would lay every day between meals until he died.
God requires no more than faithfulness from you. Paul noted in 1 Corinthians 4:2: “Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.” The very idea behind the word faithful means someone consistent, trustworthy, dependable and loyal. When God searches the storehouse of a man’s heart it is never to seek what that man is able to give, but rather seek what that man is able to keep. Abraham became the patriarch of faith because God found his heart faithful (Nehemiah 9:8). Moses was the chosen deliverer of Israel because he was faithful in his house (Hebrews 3:5). Daniel was given promotion and power because he was faithful (Daniel 2:48).
The 17th-century author William Gurnall, author of “The Christian In Complete Armour” wrote: “How can there be great faith where is little faithfulness?” Faithfulness can be found at the core of every life that was ever greatly used of God.
God is demanding and requiring more level of faithfulness from us in the contemporary time and in today’s dispensation of Grace. Grace does not absolve us from being faithful unto God; not at all! (Titus 2:11-12). Today, we talk about anointing which actually is a need in our time.
Every minister and Christian needs anointing to do the work of God, but anointing without faithfulness will guarantee failure in time to come. No matter how one is anointed, if you are not faithful, you may heal the sick and raise the dead, but it is just a matter of time, failure will show up. The master said to his servant: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness” (Matthew 25:23). God is after faithfulness and the quality of your services unto Him and not the quantity or the volume of what you do. Just like the master left for a while and came back in Matthew 25, one day Jesus will come back and we shall give an account of our stewardship on earth.
• Today’s nugget: God requires more level of faithfulness from you.
Prayer: Lord help me to be a faithful servant.
