THE LAW OF FAITHFULNESS
Luke 16:10 (CEB) “Whoever is faithful with little is also faithful with much, and the one who is dishonest with little is also dishonest with much.
Some several years ago, we had a young man in our Church called Rukudzo who was very zealous for God. We had just come out of a giving service on a certain Sunday and he came over to me. He said to me, “Pastor, just wait and see what I will do. Should God bless me with much, I will be a giver in Church. I want to do more than the kind of giving I saw today.” I prayed with him and wished him well.
Many believers are in the same position as Rukudzo. In their hearts and minds, they say, “Once I get more money than I am getting now, I will give more to God.” Others say, “Once I become an adult and more educated, I will serve God more.” While this is beautiful, one shouldn’t ignore God’s way to getting to the higher level desired. It is by being faithful with the little that one has.
You are probably reading this article and have a desire for higher things you want to do for God. The secret is to start now with what you have. Don’t wait until you have much; start with the little that you have. For example, if ever you are going to grow in giving, start giving from the little income that you get. Don’t wait until you have much.
The truth about life anyway is that the one who can’t give, or doesn’t give from the little he has, will never give even when he has more. If someone is stingy with little, he will be stingy with more. God knows that! In fact, what will happen is that if his income increases, his stinginess will increase. Money doesn’t change someone; it only amplifies their character.
The law of faithfulness doesn’t apply to giving only; it applies to every other area of life. The people whom you see today carrying out robberies, stealing from people and other heinous acts didn’t just start at that scale. They started small. It just started with taking bond paper and pens from the employer without permission. The next thing he is drawing fuel from the company vehicle ‘nicodemously.’ Do you see how it keeps growing?
He keeps going and starts stealing other assets and large sums of money from the employer. This man failed to be faithful when it concerned things of lesser value, like pens. He wouldn’t be faithful with things of higher value. One who is unfaithful with little, will be unfaithful with much.
Faithfulness is also required with those things that do not belong to you. Luke 16:12 (NKJV) “And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?”. There are people who are assigned to drive vehicles at their workplaces. Among them are some who drive company vehicles recklessly. In their minds they say, “after all it’s not my vehicle. Whatever happens, the employer will fix it.” How will God entrust you with your own vehicle if you can’t take good care of another person’s?
The law of faithfulness works with love relationships as well. A young man who fails to be faithful before marriage, will most likely be unfaithful when he gets married. If you see a young man who juggles between several girlfriends, and engages in sexual activity before marriage, he is most likely to do the same when he gets married. By having multiple partners, and desiring sexual activity before marriage, the person is just demonstrating what they will do in greater measure when they marry.
If you are going to be a great person in life, achieve much more and do much more, then you have got to train yourself to be faithful at any stage you find yourself in life. Faithfulness at every level you are, is key. Be faithful with the assignments given to you. Execute them so well with all diligence, excellence and zest. If the assignment has a deadline, deliver the result before the set deadline. That faithfulness with smaller responsibilities will elevate you to greater responsibilities.
If any assignment, role, duty or responsibility is given to you at any stage of your life, know it is a test of your faithfulness by God. God will test you with menial responsibilities – those responsibilities which many people look down upon. If in Church, you may be asked to clean the toilets, do the Church grounds, maintain cleanliness within the Church. If you are to treat such responsibilities with disdain, you may as well forget about higher responsibilities.
You don’t just work up with a higher responsibility, handling or managing bigger financial resources. You have to demonstrate that ability with the smaller financial resources. You will not be able to give bigger things to God if you fail with the small ones. Do well with whatever is commissioned to you or are blessed with at any moment in your life. That is what will determine your promotion.
Pastor Somandla Ndlovu
Resident Pastor – Bethel Ministries International Church
somainzim@gmail.com