Faithful in little, rewarded with more

"Well done, my good and faithful servant." 

These words are a powerful and familiar motivation for us to live faithfully in obedience to His Word, but they are one of the many verses in the Bible that are so highlighted that we forget what comes before and after it (anyone know John 3:15 and 17?).

Actually, this verse is presented in both the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 and the Parable of the Minas in Luke 19. 

• "His master said to him, ‘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.’" (Matthew 25:21)
• "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.’" "‘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 19:17, 26)

In this format you'll see that the similarities are not only "well done, good and faithful servant" but that the servant was faithful over little, and was then rewarded with more. Matthew 25:29 reiterates "For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance." 

An abundance of what? Authority. The faithful servant will be set over more to steward for the glory of God. The idea that we will be given more to steward should remind us that we are here now with the responsibility of stewarding that which we currently have authority over not for our own goals, but for the kingdom of God. As servants of the King we begin now to do the work we will continue to do in eternity, which is to rule over that which we've been given in faithful obedience. 

I won't dip into eschatology here to consider what we'll be ruling over exactly, but God's Word is clear that believers will rule. These passages, as well as a description of another faithful and wise servant in Matthew 24, tell us that we ought to be found doing what the master set us to do when he comes back. For he too, when found faithfully doing this work, would then be set over all the master's possessions.

If I'm being honest, I'm not super motivated by this idea of being given an abundance more to rule over for the glory of God, but the pattern is undeniable in these texts. Jesus the King offers it to me as an incentive to be about my master's business with the little I currently have authority over. And perhaps if I loved the glory of God more, I would indeed delight to enter into the joy of having more, having an abundance to bring him glory with. 

So let me be awake and ready. Let me watch for my Master's return. Let me be about his business, bringing into submission my mind, my body, my heart, my all to love God and obey his commands. Let me guard the good deposit I've been given of God's Word, and bear the fruit of good works unto the praise and adoration of God's name. 

And when I go home or my master returns, let me have a heart that says, "I am an unworthy servant, I have only done what was my duty" (Luke 17:10) for truly it is my privilege to live as a slave of righteousness in the glorious Kingdom of God.