By Melissa McLaughlin
A Gift of Faithfulness
As part of my Mother’s Day gift this spring, my husband and children helped me plant a small deck garden using tubs, buckets and flower pots. Like any faithful gardener, they helped me place and cover the seeds in rich soil, then provided proper moisture and sunlight for new growth.
Here we are just a few months later and those tiny seeds are growing and beginning to reap a great harvest! Keep in mind, however, daily we check on the tender shoots. Watering, moving to sunnier areas, re-potting into deeper soils, propping up the taller plants with heavy stakes, building fences around the plants that keep getting eaten by tiny predators like squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits.
Each day we see how the plants are growing and attend to the needs they are manifesting via withering leaves or bending stalks. If we wait a day or two to “get around to it,” it could be too late. The young and vulnerable plant may literally die in that short time.
We rejoiced with all our hearts the day we enjoyed a fresh spinach salad and a tomato sandwich!
But these sweet garden delights did not come without work. Steady, daily, attentive work.
To me, one who gardens must demonstrate faithfulness. Daily checking. Daily responding to the needs that are presenting that day. Daily attending. Daily faithfulness is what yields a harvest. Faithfulness.
A Faithful Servant
In the parable of the talents, found in Matthew 25, those who invested and put their God-given talents to good use, heard these words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
The beauty of this parable is that God gives the talents. We don’t have to earn them. And God holds each one responsible, only for the amount he or she was given.
Though we often associate the word “talents” in this passage to mean human talents or money, it actually encompasses much more. For we know that Jesus’ parables utilized everyday experiences to teach deep, spiritual, Biblical truths.
Everything we have comes from God and belongs to God. It has been given to us on loan, for the time we live and walk on this earth. Every single resource and opportunity is a gift from God in order to glorify Him, to enjoy His Presence and to expand His kingdom work.
Our time, our measure of health, our education, our jobs, our gifts and talents, our home, our cars, our wealth, our family, our friends, our church, our energy. As Christians we also have the Word of God, our salvation in Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit. These and more have been entrusted to us. We are asked to use each one to multiply and increase its value for the kingdom of God.
Though in one sense, this sounds like a grave and awesome responsibility, at the same time, I take heart in this parable. God recognizes what each one is given and the expectations are in keeping with that amount.
Furthermore, God was not commending the servants for being spectacular, extraordinary or amazing. But simply… faithful.
God did NOT say:
Well done, good and creative servant.
Well done, good and famous servant.
Well done, good and effective servant.
Well done, good and gifted, talented servant.
Well done, good and successful, strong servant.
Well done, good and popular, powerful, wise or wonderful servant.
God DID say:
Well done, good and FAITHFUL servant.
Somehow these simple words bring me comfort and peace. God recognizes that I am merely an earthen vessel, the dust of the earth. Yet redeemed by the blood of Jesus and filled with His indwelling Presence. God has blessed me with many resources. More than I can count.
Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant
May our daily prayer be to surrender all that we are, all that we have, to the One who gave us life and life eternal. That He is welcome use our resources, great and small, as we offer to Him a faithful heart of devotion. Then He can add the increase for His kingdom and glory.
God does the miracle work. God sends the Son-light and the rain of His Spirit. God makes the seeds grow. God brings the harvest.
Our job is to remain faithful.
As the world grows darker by the minute, may we remain steadfast and immovable. For we carry within us the Treasure of heaven. May we be found faithful when our King returns.
Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, I encourage you this day. Remain faithful in prayer. Remain faithful in Bible reading. Remain faithful to sing His praises. Remain faithful to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. Remain faithful to abide in Christ and be filled with His Spirit. Then we will be filled with the fullness of God, that we can remain faithful to love those around us. God has been faithful to us. Out of unending gratitude and love, let us be faithful to Him.
Keep on going, dear friends. Don’t give up. Keep on keeping yourself in Christ. God will do the rest.
God is looking for those who are faithful.
Let us be found faithful, so on that Day we will hear these words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Luke 18:8b – However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Romans 12:12 – Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
2 Chronicles 16:9a – For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
Matthew 25:20-23 – And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 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.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 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.‘
1 Corinthians 3:6 – I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
Enjoy a few pictures of our deck garden!
Photo ©Melissa McLaughlin
Additional Resources:
Resisting 4 Excuses to Not Obey Jesus by Marcie Cramsey at The Family Rock
Two Times Jesus was Amazed! What Would it Take? Amazing Faith! By Melissa McLaughlin
Fruits, Gifts and Talents – What’s the big deal? By Melissa McLaughlin
Excellent post, Melissa and great photos too!
Thank you, Valerie! May we remain steadfast in our love and devotion to Christ, as we see the Day approaching.
So agree with you! Amen!
Enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labors. Faithfulness shines light in the darkness. Great post, Melissa!
We are enjoying the growing process and the “fruits” of our labor, for sure! Yes, faithfulness to Christ is a great light that glows steady and strong in the darkness. May we be that strong light for others to see Him.
I love the distinction and pointedness of mentioning what God did NOT say. Terrific post!
Thank you for reading and sharing your insights, Tim! Glory to God! It is truly a comfort to remember that God is calling us to simply be faithful to Him. God can and will do the heavy lifting, we need only do our part with a humble, faithful heart. God bless you!
I pray I will be a good and faithful servant for Him. I pray all my words and actions will glorify Him.
I join you in this prayer, Melissa! May our love for Christ help us remain strong, true and faithful to the end.
I have also planted a small garden this year. And so I appreciate your metaphor of how the seeds grow because we faithfully attending it to explain how the same thing is true in regards to our relationship with God and how we live our life of faith.
That’s wonderful, Anne! I hope and pray your small garden brings for a great harvest. God’s creation is a marvel to behold and the growth of plants is miraculous to me. Yes, our faithfulness as gardeners is very similar to our faithfulness to Christ. Tending the garden of our hearts day by day will reap a harvest of heavenly joy. May we keep our eye on the prize, Jesus Himself!
I pray I hear those words someday from our Savior. Great post Melissa and right on point. Good luck with the garden.
That is my prayer, too, Yvonne. Jesus knows our frailty and gently asks us to simply be faithful. May we remain in Him day after day, so we do indeed hear those sweet words one day.
Melissa, love the photos of your garden and plants. This was a beautiful analogy and particularly like how you note what God did NOT say in the parable of the talents. He simply and powerfully mentioned, “faithful.” That’s such fresh and good insight. Thank you, sweet friend.
Karen, thank you for your kind words of encouragement and faithfulness to Christ. You so beautifully live out this spiritual truth of being faithful to Him. Thank God, He never asked us to be super stars of the faith, just faithful. What a wise and loving Father. To me it is a comfort and covering from the Lord. Just be faithful. May we bless His heart this day, with our faithful love and devotion. Blessings to you, sweet friend.
Wonderful post Melissa!!! Love your garden photos. You highlight such an important truth here…our job is to be faithful. God will do the rest. He blesses what we do and so it multiplies again and again. We need not fear it is not enough; with God’s hand the bounty is beyond measure! Your garden metaphor is so appropriate; God’s Kingdom just keeps growing and growing ever more beautiful; the Master Gardener sees that all is accomplished day by day.
Thank you, dear Linda! Praise God! He is a good, good Father. He knows we are merely dust of the earth, yet filled with His Spirit. Though He has gone to such lengths to save us and redeem us, He only asks of us to be faithful. May our love for Him grow deeper, like deep roots, day after day. Yes, He is the Master Gardener. May we rest in His hands to accomplish His great purposes. God bless you, dear sister!
Dear Melissa, thank you for such a beutiful garden of posts on which your readers feast. My thoughts transcended to our Lord when He ascended, the ffirst faithful servant having “finished” His work, now planting the seeds, watering, and nurturing us to be faithful servants as we follow in HIs footsteps. Blessings for you, your family, and your gardens.
Dear Frances, thank you for all your gardening reflections. You remind me of all the ways our Master Gardener works with us to keep us growing in His love and in His likeness. May the Lord bless you, your family and ministry. May all the seeds of God’s Word you have planted, flourish for His glory.
Melissa, these are some of the most encouraging words I’ve heard in a great while:
“God did NOT say…
Well done, good and creative servant.
Well done, good and famous servant.
Well done, good and effective servant.
Well done, good and gifted, talented servant.
Well done, good and successful, strong servant.
Well done, good and popular, powerful, wise or wonderful servant”
There’s so much pressure to be what we see in that list: creative, famous, effective, gifted, talented, etc., and we may strive to be successful, strong, popular, wise, and wonderful. But the outcome of these attempts is never in our own hands. We may end up doing well indeed, living faithful lives, and yet no one sees us, we exist in a small corner tucked away, and/or we have no wide audience.
And yet, the Audience of One, the only Audience that matters doesn’t expect these outcomes from us. He desires only Faithfulness. That is what he wants. With faithfulness comes the only outcome that truly matters, God’s statement “Well done, good and faithful servant.” This is what “God DID say,” as you emphasized. Thank you for the uplifting message, dear friend!
Melinda, I thank God these words were an encouragement to you! The words “Well done, good and faithful servant” were to me, as well! I take such heart in God’s desires for us to remain faithful and not all the other things we imagine for ourselves. For as you say, whether we are seen or unseen, we can remain faithful to our Lord and Savior. What a good, good Father. May we remember His faithfulness to us that we can remain faithful to love Him back. The Lord bless you, dear sister!
Great photographs. Thanks a lot .🌹ðŸ‘ðŸ™
Glory to God! He makes the plants to grow.
I needed to read this. Writing and blogging is much like gardening, it takes faithfulness. Dedication to God and trusting him for the growth is a mark of a disciple of Jesus. As we grow in our faithfulness we become more and more like our Savior. Thank you for this article, Melissa! And thank you for linking my article in your post. 🙂
You are right, Marcie. Blogging takes faithfulness, much like gardening. May we remain steadfast to live our lives for Him, giving back and surrendering to Him all the gifts He has poured out. May we find joy in being faithful to our dear Savior.
Needed this today, Melissa — thank you for more of your ever wise and encouraging words.💕
Thank God for His faithfulness and goodness to us! I am grateful this was an encouragement to you. God bless you and yours!
You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will make thee ruler over many things. So what does it mean to hear ‘Well done good and faithful servant’?
Visit: https://catalyticministries.com/sheep-among-wolves/
It means everything.
May our greatest joy, passion and pursuit be to know, love and live for Jesus Christ.
God bless you!