Luke 16:10-12 NIV
[10] “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. [11] So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? [12] And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?”
How many of God’s people realise that we are serving an apprenticeship during our earthly life? No one is here by accident, whatever the circumstances of their birth. No one is an aimless nomad in this life regardless of their place or function down here. All are called to a life of preparation but, sadly, few by comparison respond to this call or even know they are called.
Matthew 22:14 NIV
[14] “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
An apprentice is a novice who learns a profession or trade through hands-on practice. When he has passed the tests of theory and practice, he is licenced and released to carry out his function without close supervision.
My grandson spent five years at university learning the theory of law and two years in a law firm, practicing his profession under supervision. Now he is an accredited attorney, doing the job he spent years training to do. This is his reward for seven years of faithful apprenticeship.
So it is in life.
What is the “eternal profession” God is preparing us for when we graduate from this life? Without giving details, He has assigned His people a mind-bogging role in His kingdom, each individual according to our response to His input.
God has promised us an inheritance and the responsibility of managing our inheritance in partnership with Jesus.
Romans 8:17 NIV
[17] “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
Revelation 20:6 NLT
[6] “Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.”
As vague as this is for us now, God has outlined a life for His people so awesome that we cannot imagine what it can be.
1 Corinthians 2:6-7, 9 NLT
[6]” Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. [7] No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began…
[9] That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
How do we know what this apprenticeship entails and how do we serve it during our stay on this planet?
Although the Lord has not specifically written a chapter or two in His book to give details of our function as apprentices, He has left us enough simple instructions, scattered throughout His story about Himself and people, to show us what He wants us to do.
One word sums up our entire lives as we prepare for eternity, faithfulness! Faithfulness means that we stick to our post, regardless of obstacles, hindrances, tests, failures, successes, etc., or whatever we encounter on the way that would throw us off course.
It’s not about where we serve or how important or menial our function is…it’s about how well we do what God has assigned for us to do.
Jesus left us with a few simple principles to guide us through this process.
Luke 16:10-13 NLT
[10]“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. [11] And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? [12] And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own? [13] “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”
How simple is that! First, little things…like eating and drinking.
1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT
[31] “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
That’s simple enough for us to do.
Gluttons do not eat or drink for God’s glory. They stuff themselves to satisfy their fleshly desires. “Enough” is the not the operative word for them. Eating and drinking to God’s glory is about what we eat and how much we eat to satisfy hunger not greed.
Second, money! It’s all about the way we handle our money.
Money is our reward for the work we do, and money is what we need to stay alive. We could say that money is as basic a need as air, food, and water. Problem is, money can easily become our master if we allow money to dominate our lives instead of keeping us alive. How
much is enough?
God’s principle is “enough for you and others”.
Paul’s advice is, again, simple…
2 Corinthians 8:13-15 NLT
[13]”Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. [14] Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. [15] As the Scriptures say, “Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough.”
Instead of learning to use money for the purpose God intended, we hoard it for a “rainy day”. Money is a resource. like food and water, that we all need in the correct amount, to share with others wherever there is a need as well as to serve our own needa. When we hoard food or water, it spoils. When we hoard money above our needs, it is vulnerable to theft or decay.
Jesus told us where to store our money, in His heavenly bank account where no human has access except you through Him. In this way, He has our account from which He can meet our needs, when we make a withdrawal.
Matthew 6:19-21 NLT
[19]“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. [20] Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. [21] Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
Why would God choose the way we handle our money to test our faithfulness to Him? Our attitude to our money is the simple test that reveals who or what rules us. If money rules our hearts, it is impossible for us to serve the Lord. If we are not faithfully serving the Lord here on earth, how can He trust us with greater responsibilities in His heavenly kingdom?
God made His apprenticeship simple so that no child of God is excluded from His training programme. No matter where we are or what we do in this life, God calls us to be faithful to our duties, our “little tasks”, like caring for our families, and with our resources, like feeding or clothing a brother in need. He promises sufficient grace to do what He calls us to do and to endure what He allows us to endure.
When we are faithful in this life, He can assign to us the greater honour of sharing with Jesus all the wonders of His eternal kingdom in the life to come.
Matthew 25:21 NLT
[21]“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!'”