DECEMBER 7, 2015
A Faithful Servant
Read:
Joshua
14:6-15
If
anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all
things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. — 1 Peter 4:11
Madaleno is a bricklayer. From Monday to Thursday he builds
walls and repairs roofs. He is quiet, reliable, and hardworking. Then from
Friday to Sunday he goes up to the mountains to teach the Word of God. Madaleno
speaks Nahuatl (a Mexican dialect), so he can easily communicate the good news
of Jesus to the people in that region. At age 70, he still works with his hands
building houses, but he also works to build the family of God.
Madaleno’s faithfulness reminds me of the faithfulness of Caleb
and Joshua, two of the men Moses sent to explore the Promised Land and report
back to the Israelites (Num. 13; Josh. 14:6-13). Their companions were afraid
of the people who lived there, but Caleb and Joshua trusted in God and believed
He would help them conquer the land.
The work entrusted to us may be different than Madaleno’s or
Caleb’s and Joshua’s. But our confidence can be the same. In reaching out to
others, we rely not on ourselves but on the strength of our God.
Where
has God placed you to serve? Are you being faithful?
We grow strong when we serve the
Lord.
INSIGHT:
Discipleship has been called “a long
obedience in the same direction.” The point is not how much we have done, but
whether or not we have been faithful to our Lord. Caleb was faithful for 45
years in the wilderness. When Christ returns, our faithfulness will be rewarded
when we hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21).
Source: Our Daily Bread 2015
