Faithfulness

Stephen Altrogge, in his book The Inmates are Running the Asylum, challenges the concept of "bucket lists" (a list of things you want to do before you die) and contrasts this with God's goal for us: to be his faithful servants. I was so thankful to read this just when I needed the encouragement to keep going being faithful in the little and not be distracted by the "awesome and crazy".

There is one common theme that runs through every bucket list: every goal on every bucket list is epic.....If you were to only look at our bucket lists, you would conclude that my generation is the most ambitious generation to ever walk the face of the earth. Everybody wants to accomplish a lot of awesome things....If there ever was a testimony to our first-world, post-modern, existential selfishness, the bucket list is it. 

In the parable of the talents, the master says to his servant, "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." The master, who represents God, praises his servant for being faithful. He doesn't praise his servant for being awesome. He doesn't praise his servant for being extreme, innovative, productive, or edgy....He praises his servant for faithfully working with what he was given. The thing God cares about and honours is faithfulness, not famousness. Face it: faithfulness is pretty boring. Faithfulness looks like creating spreadsheets and changing diapers and caring for aged parents and setting up chairs on Sunday morning. Nobody gets a standing ovation for faithfulness. Nobody makes documentaries about faithful servants. Nobody notices faithful servants. Nobody except God, that is.

The master praises his servant for being faithful over little. Our culture is obsessed with the big and epic. Every Super Bowl is "an epic rivalry for the ages". Every tech compay is trying to release the next big thing. Every summer, Hollywood releases a flurry of epic, blockbuster films. But God isn't impressed with the epic and the big. The master doesn't praise his servant for accomplishing massive, world-changing things.....The master doesn't praise his servant for inventing the next big thing. The master praises his servant for faithfully stewarding the little he had.