Faithful in What Is Least

The last several weeks has been somewhat of a transition period for me. It's been full of some unique adventures. Again, as you know, Mr. Miggleson and I spent about three weeks of time over in West Africa, returning here about a week and a half ago. And it's actually been a busy time since the return. About midweek this week, I asked Darla, I said, How long have I been home? Has it been a couple of weeks? Because things were so busy upon the return that it seems like so much longer than a week that I had been back.

But there have been a number of experiences that have taken place. On this last trip to West Africa, it did give us an opportunity to travel into some areas that I had not previously been and to meet some individuals that were new to me. People who I had heard their name, just as you have, but have not met personally. So in that sense, for me, it was very important that I could overlap on one more trip with Mr.

Mickelson and he could introduce me around and take me to a few new places. We did make it over into Togo, which is new for me. It's a French-speaking country. And Mabut came over and met us there. I was able to connect with him as well as Kasi Fyabue, our elder in Togo. And it's important to establish those relationships, especially for return visits. They had a couple of congregations that came together in Togo for our visit, so it was a little bit of a larger group and very nice in that way.

And then over in Ghana as well, we were able to travel into other congregations and areas where I had not previously been on my first trip last year. So once again, it was just nice to make new acquaintances and sort of forge my way into those new areas.

To mention, we were sort of sick, sort of up and down a little bit along this trip, but Mr. Mickelson was encouraging to me. He kept reminding me that Africa is where white men go to die. And, you know, he's on the process of exiting. He thought that would be encouraging for me as I'm entering in. But I think what he meant is you'll get over it and move on, and all will be well. Now, as I said, it was a little bit of a unique experience. And as he mentioned last week, wherever we went, there was a little bit of a change this year.

He introduced me as his replacement. And previous to this, he introduced me as his assistant. And so that just changed the dynamic a little bit on the ground. People looked at me in a little different way than they had before. And it also increases my level of responsibility now as I begin to make trips back on my own. And so this year I will be returning to Ghana for the feast. There will be two feast sites in Ghana this year, and I'll visit both of those as well as the feast site over in Togo.

And actually traveling over without my family will give me opportunity to move around in a way that I wouldn't be as free to do otherwise. And it will give me the ability to travel with Henry and we'll go and visit the three feast sites at least that are in range from there.

Now, upon returning home, I face some unique circumstances as well. At certain developments, I've taken place in regard to my business. After 22 years of being in the landscape maintenance business this last week, I signed the paperwork on the dotted line and sold all my customer accounts and most of my equipment to another landscape company. And for me, that's a bit of a transition. Having been hired into the pastoral ministry was one thing, but you see this winter was normal for me.

I usually have the winter off. I usually make a trip to Africa, usually have opportunity for a sermon or two at church. And so in that sense, it's been pretty typical. But now, again, as I look outside and spring is coming and green grass is starting to sprout, the fact that I won't be heading back out to work as I have the last 22 years will be a little different. I've sold my company and I guess I sort of feel like when Cortez came to the new world, he burned his ships.

And as a result, his men were motivated to go forward. And in that sense, all I can say is I'm grateful to have opportunity to serve in the pastoral ministry, and now I'm all in. And there's no looking back, but I think God has certainly blessed the opportunities and the doors that have opened, and I'm grateful to be proceeding forward in that way. So as I say, it's been quite busy. I was busy on the trip.

I came back. I hit the ground running. This last week, I've been calling most of my customers as well and setting them up for that transition. And as I said, it felt like I've been back two weeks, not just one, but it is a good process. Now in the grand scheme of things, brethren, these things in themselves might not seem like a big deal. Going to Africa, selling a business, in one sense it's a small step for man, but honestly it's one giant leap for Paul kind.

And I'm grateful. God's opened opportunities. Leaving behind one part of my life and moving forward in another direction is a very positive thing. And what's interesting to me is there is a biblical principle that has popped up over and over through the process. It came to my attention as we were on the visit through Togo in Nigeria and Ghana, and it's come to my attention in various ways as well since I've been home.

That principle is something that we all should take to heart as God's people. And that's a principle of faithfulness even in the small things. That's what I'd like to talk about today. In this Christian life, you and I are called by God to be faithful, not only in the big matters of life, not only in those things that would seem giant or bold or significant or major. We can embrace those and say, I need to dedicate myself there. But God's also called us to be faithful in the things that we would consider to be the small matters of life.

Again, the big things have our attention, but how directly are we focused on the small things? There's a parable of Jesus Christ in Luke 16 I'd like to take a look at as we begin, because I think it sets the groundwork for where I'd like to go today. And at first glance, it can actually seem to be a little bit of a strange parable. If you read through it, maybe we're not quite sure exactly what Jesus Christ is saying, but I think as we examine it, it'll become clearer to us.

Luke 16, and beginning in verse 1, it said, Jesus said to his disciples, there was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. So he called to him, and he said to him, what is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward. And so this steward, this servant, was being dishonest in the business dealings that his master had left him accountable to.

In today's day and age, we might say that he was skimming off the top. He was making dishonest business transactions. He was cooking the books. And so word comes to his master, and his master calls him, and he says, you know what? You're fired, but in addition to that, I need you to bring the books, because I need to know exactly what's been going on. But as an employee, you are finished here.

So we have the steward then now in verse 3. He said within himself, what shall I do? For my master is taking away the stewardship from me. He says, I cannot dig, and I'm ashamed to beg. He says, I've resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. You know, what he's saying is, I'm going to make sure that when I'm out of a job, I'm going to have somewhere to go where I will be welcome.

Have a plan. And wherever I go, they will say, yes, please. And they'll welcome me into another job. Verse 5, here's his plan. He says, so he called every one of his masters debtors to him, and he said to the first, how much do you owe my master? And he said, a hundred measures of oil.

So he said to him, take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty. So he knocked half of it right off the top. Huge favor to this debtor. Verse seven, he said to another, how much do you owe? And so he said, a hundred measures of wheat. He said to him, take your bill and write eighty. And so again, what the unjust steward is doing is a big favor to his masters debtors. He's cutting by a significant rate what it is that they owe. And the purpose is so that now again, he will be able to go to them. Seek their help when he needs it most.

You can imagine, once he's out of a job, he can approach them and say, remember that favor I did for you, now I need something in return. Verse eight, it says, so the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

And I say to you, Jesus Christ saying this, I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. You know, this can actually seem to be a little bit confusing to us. Is Jesus Christ telling us to go out and be like this unjust steward?

Go be dishonest? I think we would know that that would not be the recommendation. What Jesus Christ is doing is pointing out the clever means by which the man, though, went about to provide for himself. He's saying that God's people are not always so wise in the way that they handle the resources that they need to be. And if you don't have a good way, you can go out and do it. And, in many ways, this world is wiser and perhaps more shrewd than the people of God. The point is not that we need to act as this unjust steward, but the point is we need to be willing to look at our circumstances and understand how we can best use the resources that God has given us to make our way in this world.

This world sometimes has a better grasp than we do. Now, verse 10, leads us to the lesson. Jesus Christ said, So, brethren, we're being judged for what we do with the things that we've been given stewardship of from God. If you're faithful in what is least, you're an individual that will be faithful in much. If you're unjust and unfaithful in what is least, you will not be faithful in what is much. Verse 11, he says, Verse 12, he says, Faithfulness with what we have is important to God.

God is watching us. He wants to know how we're going to handle the little things, because you see, the way in which we handle the little matters of life, those things that perhaps we would consider to be least, the way we handle those things say a lot to God about our character. And they reveal to him how, in fact, we would handle the greater treasures that God would give us. Brethren, if you and I can't even manage our finances in this age, how can we be expected to handle and rightly appreciate the Pearl of Great Price? How can we be expected to rightly handle the great inheritance that God has for his people for all of eternity?

If you and I can't manage our family relationships wisely and our relationships within the Church, how can God expect that we will function as his eternal family? Sons and daughters of God, members of the household of God, members of the bride of Christ, how would those relationships work if we don't even have good stewardship over those in our physical life today?

Again, the small things show God the trustworthiness and the ability that we will have to handle the big things that he's offering us for the rest of eternity. And so as God's people, we can't ever afford to label something in this life that we've been given responsibility for as too small, too insignificant to matter. It's so easy for us to say something like, well, that's not a salvation issue.

I mean, I've said that. I've heard others say that. We look at something and we say, well, that's not really a salvation issue. Well, maybe it is. Because at the end of the day, it may be a very small, maybe the least of matters, but perhaps our willingness to handle it properly or not handle it properly actually reveals something about our character. And that does indeed lead to matters of salvation.

Again, he who would be faithful in what is least is faithful also in much. And Jesus said those who would be unjust in what is least will be unjust in much as well. So, brethren, again, the question for you and I is, how faithful are we in handling the daily matters of life?

When God looks at us, does he see a people who are diligent and faithful and dedicated even in the least matters? Or does he see a people who are unable to handle themselves, unable to handle the stewardship, even in the little things? The little things really do matter. He who is unfaithful in what is least is unfaithful also in much.

Africa is quite a different place from here. Obviously, you would know that. You've listened to the sermons over the years. You've followed the blog. But it is quite different. Africa is a place that's full of millions of people who have very little in this life in terms of physical possessions. It's a place where people are desperate to find a way to make ends meet in really any way necessary. And they, at times, will do whatever it is that's necessary.

Whenever we travel about, I'm always kind of blown away at the work, the effort, the toil that goes into place over there in order just to eke out a very minimal living. We were stuck in traffic for four hours trying to get to Saba services at one of our congregations in Ghana. And as we sat there, we looked over, and on the side of the road was a man that was changing a tire for a semi truck.

And he had a little shack, and on the top it had a sign, and it said, Tire Shop. And he's out there with a big mall and a crowbar, and he's just beating on this tire, beating on this tire, and prying on it to get it off of this rim.

And we're sitting there for about 15 minutes, not moving, and we're just watching him. He gets that tire off and throws it aside, and then he pulls out the new tire, which is almost as big as he was, and rolls it over on the rim. And then he's pounding on it, he's beating on it, he's prying on it, and he's jumping up and down on it just to get it on that rim. And then he's trying to put air in it, and he's trying to get a good bead so it'll hold air.

So repeatedly, he tries to air it up, then he gets off of it, puts the air aside, and he's jumping on it again. He's pounding on it with his mallet, and all this, get this tire mounted up, and he's sweating, he's working, and this is a muscular guy. All that works for maybe a dollar or two a day. Again, it's a different place than we live at here. As we travel around, I'm always blown away by the women, because there are a lot of the, there's a main force behind those that are outselling on the street and running the street-side markets.

And what amazes me oftentimes is you'll see a lady out there walking down the street or on the side, and she has her basket of goods balanced on her head, what she's selling, and she's moving about. And perhaps she's selling bottled water, which is very heavy if you're carrying that on your head. But in addition to that, she'll have a sling on her back with the baby, sleeping on her back, and she's out there working in the sun and just trying to eek out just a little bit of a living, provide a little something extra for her family.

I would not want to be a woman in Africa. You wake up early, you work, put the house in order, the children off, and then you're out on the street working and back to take care of the family in the evening. And at least as a societal whole, there isn't a whole lot of respect, really, for the women. But every time I see somebody out there with the baby, I wish I could just take out a hundred-dollar bill and hand it to them and say, take the day off.

But there's not enough money in the world to cover all of that. I mean, it's in every direction in a hundred different ways, and it's all that they know. And yet, they're doing what they need to do, and even if to us it would seem like a little thing, to them it's survival. And there are individuals that are faithful out there to do that in a physical way, day after day. I find it rather remarkable. Also, in the midst of all that, there are people who are willing to turn to dishonesty as well and to try to take an advantage.

And that's oftentimes perhaps the police who are corrupt, the government officials who are trying to flee something out of the people any way that they can. And one day we were stopped in traffic at an intersection, and there was a mentally handicapped young boy that came up to the car, and it was clear that there was a problem with him.

He was acting strangely. He was hanging on the car. He was putting out his hand. He was looking for a handout. And oftentimes we'll give a handout to somebody who is disabled, who's in need. Oftentimes it'll be somebody who perhaps has no legs. From the middle down, they'll be on a skateboard, essentially paddling themselves along with their hand. And there's no way they're going to get up on their feet and go and make a living. So you'll roll down the car window and give them a little something to help them along their way. It wouldn't seem like much to us, but it's helpful to them.

So you have this boy that was disabled, and he was on the car wanting a handout. But pretty soon this woman came along and she raised her voice to him and yelled at him, and he turned and kind of slinked away. And Mr. Mickelson asked Henry, well, what did she say? Because she spoke in a different language. And Henry said, well, she knew him, and she knew he was faking. And she called him on it, and she sent him packing.

So in that sense, you will find those who are diligent to try to do what they need to do to provide. On the other hand, there are some, and you just don't always know. But to be faithful in the little things, brethren, for us, the little things don't seem all that important sometimes. For them, the little things, and even just making a little something, a dollar or two a day, is life.

Occasionally, as we're out traveling, the traffic will stop us. And as, again, I said, the young ladies are out doing a number of sales. And you'll roll down the door to transact some business if you want to buy some bottled water or some plantain chips or something to snack on. And the traffic will start moving, and you pretty much figure, well, you know, we just sort of, too bad for them. They just lost the transaction. The traffic's moving on. And maybe you'll come to a stop or a quarter or a half a mile down the street.

And suddenly, the next thing you know, you look out the window, and here's this sweaty girl out of breath. And you realize she just chased the car all the way down the street trying to make a sale. And you want to reward that. You want to reward the effort. How can you not? And so you'll transact some business and maybe buy a little bit extra from her just for her dedication and her effort in that way.

That's not a child pretending to be disabled. That's actually somebody who's doing whatever they can diligently, doing the little things any way they can in order to make do. One of the purposes of our trips to Africa as well is to assist in the leadership development there in the congregations, because we very much need leaders on the ground in Africa, because we can't manage what needs to be managed from the United States. We can oversee various things, but the day-to-day relationship with the brethren, the counseling, the matters that need to be addressed on a regular basis can't be handled from a distance.

It has to be handled by faithful men there. So we go over there to encourage and to strengthen the leaders, and also to help to evaluate potential future leaders. Do you know what we look for when we're looking for future leadership in Africa? Well, we essentially look for the same thing that we look for here when we're evaluating potential leadership. You're not looking for people who desire to be in charge. We're not looking for someone that has their hand up and saying, you know, me, me, I want to be the man on top.

But there's actually something specific we're looking for. And I could say we could boil it down into the fact that we're looking for true leadership. True leadership. Many times true leadership is simply manifested in someone who is living their life in such a way that they are good stewards of what it is that God has given them to manage. No matter how big, no matter how small. We look to them and say, how faithful are they in what God has given them? We look for people who are faithful in their spiritual lives. You know, people who take the time to study God's Word, to internalize it, who seek to understand it.

We want people who are diligent in prayer and that Bible study, fasting and meditation. We're looking for people as well who are good stewards in their relationships. How do they interact with others in the congregation? Do they have the respect of the brethren? You know, is their family, are their relationships intact within their family and within the congregation?

We also look for people who are good stewards of their finances. Even if they have nothing compared to us. Even if they're... you're not looking for somebody who's well-to-do. Everyone is generally poor overall compared to us, but you're looking for someone that is faithful even with what little that they have. Because, brethren, if they can't simply manage and be good stewards of what God has given them in their life, how in the world can they take care of the Church of God and the people of God?

So we look for those who are faithful in what is least before we put them in the position of being faithful over much. And that responsibility over much takes evidence that we see through their character. Let's go to 1 Timothy chapter 3 because I believe this ties in very clearly with what the Apostle Paul gave to Timothy as well as Titus. You go to 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 to see what are the qualifications of an individual that will be ordained. And I think we'll see very clearly that, frankly, being good stewards, being faithful in this life is at the core of what is essential to ordain someone into leadership position within the Church.

1 Timothy 3, beginning in verse 1, Paul writes, and he says, This is a faithful saying. If a man desires the position of a bishop, says he desires a good work. So it's not saying that it's actually wrong to desire to be an overseer. In fact, those that we would put into that position, we would hope that they would desire to fulfill it. But what you're not looking for is somebody who wants it to gain an edge or an advantage or just have lordship over someone in a particular way.

But you who desires that position of a bishop desires a good work. He says, A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach. He says, Not given to wine or violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetousness. And so if you're going to ordain someone to that greater responsibility, they must already be living what it is that you're going to be making them accountable for.

That character trait must already be apparent in their life. Verse 4, must be one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence. For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the Church of God? Not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride, he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

Moreover, he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. And so you notice that the description is essentially of one that's been a good steward, again, in the many different aspects of living this life. One of those things that we would consider to be small things.

You don't ordain somebody who hasn't shown the fruits of righteousness, that don't show the fruits of being successful in this Christian life. You don't give them greater responsibility if they have not been faithful in the little things. Verse 8, it says, likewise, deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.

But let those also first be tested, then let them serve as deacons being found blameless. You know, you look, you watch, you evaluate, how's this person living their life? And you ordain somebody who is already so doing, not somebody that you hope will rise to the occasion once they receive the title. You find those who are so doing, again, even in the least in their life.

Verse 11, likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderous, temperate, faithful in all things. And so that stewardship and that relationship extends out to the family as well. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children in their own house as well. For those who have served well as deacons, obtained for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith, which is in Christ Jesus. And so again, brethren, if someone's going to be given the responsibility of serving the body of Jesus Christ, they must be faithful in living this Christian life. They must be dedicated. He who is faithful in what is least will be faithful also in much. It's an enduring principle in Scripture. Again, it's something I saw come up time and time again over the last several weeks.

Mr. Mickelson mentioned last week the scholarship program that's been established in Ghana. There were funds that were donated for education over in Africa, and much of those funds were taken over. They were put into the bank in Ghana, yielding an interest rate of 24%. And it was actually Henry Aiken's idea to move in that direction. And frankly, when he first mentioned it, it seemed incredible. We're thinking 24%, are you transacting business with people that come twist your arm and break your leg if it doesn't work out? But no, this is honest. This is basically the equivalent of a one-year CD here or purchasing a government treasury bill. It's backed up by government insurance, and it's just the way the economy is there. Don't imagine you're going to go borrow money to buy a house if you're the common man, because that interest rate is something like 35%. And so what you have is, like where we stay at the hotel and across, last year when we were there, I look out the window, and there's a man who's building a house behind what I think is his parents' house, but he's on the back end of this property. And last year, the foundation was poured, and a few blocks of the first-level walls were put up. This year, upon the return, you could look out there, and the walls were completed. The lid was poured. Now he had started a partial build of the second-level walls out there. When you can afford a few bricks, you buy a few bricks, you lay a few bricks. That's generally how that works for the majority of people. But you know what? If you're fortunate enough to be able to save money, 24% is a pretty good rate. And so I traveled around with Henry. We visited five banks and just discussed the accounts with the managers, just to make sure this was indeed solid and on the up-and-up and not a risk factor. And it'll be a blessing, brethren, because this money is put in. It'll provide annually for scholarships in Ghana without eating away at that principle. Year after year.

It's obviously not enough money to fund every child in Ghana for school, nor is that the intent. The intent is to assist those who have financial need, but it's also to assist those who are already reaching a certain level of academic excellence. You know, here in the United States, if you want to take part in a scholarship, if you want to receive financial aid, you have to have received, you know, achieved a certain level of academic grade level, and you have to hold that in order for that funding to continue to come in. And it'll be the same, generally, in Ghana. The point isn't to fund someone who's not serious about putting effort into their schooling. The point is to fund somebody who has been diligent already. Honestly, education can be a low priority over there. If your family is simply trying to eat, there are children on the street selling. Children should be in school. I mean, they're out there by the dozens. And education can tend to go on the wayside. But there are individuals and young people in the church who are diligent in what would perhaps be considered a least or lesser thing, because they recognize that their ability to break out of their circumstances will require education.

He or she who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much. And so we're looking for young people there who are already so doing, already faithful, already dedicated in whatever circumstance it is that they face. Throughout the Bible, there have been individuals that God has recognized that were people that could be used in His service. And King David is one that stands out very directly. He is an individual that Scripture describes as being a man after God's own heart. Now, when we look at David's life, we recognize that obviously not everything he did was according to that standard.

You know, David made some big mistakes, and they're openly recorded for us to read about and learn from. But what I think was unique and special about David was, although he messed up big, when he recognized it and acknowledged it, David also repented big. David's desire was to be reconciled in relationship to God. King David began his life in a very small and humble circumstance. He was a shepherd boy, spending his years growing up out in the fields, tending his father's flock, and he was the youngest brother of many sons. Let's go to 1 Samuel 16 and try to pick up the story at the beginning of David's life.

Because, you see, brethren, there was something that God saw in David that he knew he could use that man to fulfill his purpose. 1 Samuel 16, beginning in verse 1, says, Now the Lord said to Samuel, How long were you mourned for Saul, seeing that I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? He says, Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse, the Bethlehem night, for I have provided myself a king among his sons.

And so there was something specific about one of the sons of Jesse that had God's attention. And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me. But the Lord said, Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do, and you shall anoint for me the one who I name to you. So Samuel did what the Lord said. He went to Bethlehem, and the elders of the town trembled. That is coming.

And they said, Do you come peaceably? And he said, Peaceably I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and he invited them to the sacrifice. Verse 6, So it was when they came, that he looked at Eliab, and he said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.

But the Lord said to Samuel, Do not look at his appearance, or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Now God can look down, and he can see the faithfulness of the inner man. He can see their character. He can see their resolve to follow through on what it is they've started. As human beings, we can't see it in the way that God can see it. We can only judge by the fruits.

That is a good way to begin the analysis, but ultimately to see into the heart, to know what is in the man's character. That belongs to God and his ability to do so directly. And he found what he wanted in a king. Verse 7, it says, But the Lord said to Samuel, again, don't look at the appearance. Verse 8, So Jesse called to Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one.

Then Jesse made Shema pass by, and he said, Neither has the Lord chosen this one. Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, The Lord has not chosen these. And Samuel said to Jesse, Are all the young men here? And he said, There remains yet the youngest, and there he is. He's outkeeping the sheep. When we introduce to David here, he's out tending his father's flock.

All the other brothers had assembled before Samuel, but again, David continued to do what was the small thing. Following the flock, tending those things was their livelihood, so maybe it may not seem a small thing, but compared to the prospect of being anointed king, to stay out and just continue to tend the sheep as the youngest son, David was faithful in what was least. Again, verse 11, He remains yet the youngest, there he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said to Jesse, Send and bring him, for we will not sit down till he comes.

So he sent him and brought him in. Now he was ruddy with bright eyes, and was good-looking. And the Lord said, Arise and anoint him, for this is the one. Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers, and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Rama. And so what we find is David was taken from the sheepfolds, and he was anointed to be king over God's people, Israel. Now as you continue through the story, what we understand is that he was not able to actually go up and fulfill that position immediately.

It was actually a process of time before David would be the recognized ruler over Israel and Judah in that way. If we follow the trail of David's life, we find that though there were actually valuable lessons that he had learned, from diligently being a shepherd as a youth, doing perhaps what was considered the least in terms of jobs in his father's household, in that position there was something that God recognized in David that he could use.

And as we'll see, as we walk through David's life, the lessons of the shepherd boy served him well as king. 1 Samuel 17, we'll just move a little bit forward. This chapter tells the story of Israel. They're gathered together, and armies are going out to face the armies of the Philistines, and the Philistines in opposition send out their giant. Here's Goliath. He's the intimidation factor, if you will, against the armies of Israel. 1 Samuel 17, let's pick it up in verse 13.

It says, You know, I think it's interesting because David didn't rise up and say, Don't you know who I am? I've been anointed king over Israel. How long do you think I'm going to continue to tend those stinky sheep? You know, David was willing to serve. He'd been anointed king, and yet he would still do the least of things.

Verse 16, In the Philistine, Goliath, drew near, He presented himself forty days, morning and evening. Then Jesse said to his son David, Take now to your brothers in Ephah of this dried grain, And ten loaves, run to your brothers at the camp, And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, And see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them. Now Saul and they, and all the men of Israel, Were in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines. So David rose early in the morning, Left the sheep with a keeper, And took the things, and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp, as the army was going out to fight, And shouting for the battle. Verse 21, For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army. And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, Ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. And then he talked with them there, And then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, The Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines, And he spoke according to the same words, so David heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw, the man fled from him, And were dreadfully afraid. So the men of Israel said, Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel, And it shall be that the man who kills him, The king will enrich with great riches. He will give him his daughter, He will give his father's house exemption from taxes in Israel. And David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine, Takes away the reproach from Israel. For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, That he should defy the armies of the living God? And people answered him in this manner, saying, So it shall be done for the man who kills him. Now, Eliab, his oldest brother, heard when he spoke to these men, And Eliab's anger was aroused against David, And he said, Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? You know, obviously, even in the sight of the brothers, This was the least of responsibilities, being a shepherd. He said, I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, For you have come down to see the battle. And David said, What have I done now? Is there not a cause? And then he turned from them towards another, And he said the same thing, and these people answered him, As the first ones did.

Verse 31, Now when the words David spoke were heard, They were reported to Saul, and he sent for him. Then David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, You are not able to stand against this Philistine, To go and fight with him, for you are a youth, And he a man of war from his youth. And yet notice here why David says that he is uniquely qualified for this fight. Verse 34, But David said to Saul, Your servant used to keep his father's sheep. And when a lion or bear came and took the lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered it from the lamb from its mouth. And when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck it, and killed it. Can you imagine that? David was so faithful in the care of his father's sheep, That he would not run in the face of danger. I mean, who among us would have a flock of animals that you would be willing to run out And grab the beard of a lion and slay it in order to save that animal? David was not simply a hireling. A hireling seized the wolf, he seized the threat. The hireling seized the danger and runs the other way. David was a true shepherd. He ran toward the danger in order to save the sheep, In order to be faithful in that stewardship in which he had been trusted.

I think it's an incredible example. Verse 36, Your servant has killed both lion and bear, And this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, Seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. Moreover, David said, the Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion, From the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, Go, and the Lord be with you. We know the story, brethren, as it continues. David rejected the king's army. He went out and faced Goliath with a slingshot and a stone, He killed the giant, and was victorious, and Israel celebrated the victory that day.

The shepherd boy, who had shown himself faithful in the little things, Had by God's help now showed himself faithful in even a greater matter. And what's amazing is, it's a cycle that we see repeated over and over throughout David's life. What he learned faithfully in the beginning, the least of jobs, prepared him for service before God. If we jump forward now to David's kingship, let's go to Psalm 78. We find an interesting description about him. Psalm 78, beginning in verse 67. Psalm 78, in my Bible here, somewhere. Psalm 78, beginning in verse 67. Speaking of God, it says, Moreover, God rejected the tent of Joseph, He did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, but He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved. And He built His sanctuary, like the heights, like the earth, which He has established forever. In the verse 70, he says, He also chose David, His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds. Again, when God chose David, when He saw him, when He recognized greatness in him, He was a lowly shepherd, tending His father's sheep. God said He chose David, took him from the sheepfolds, from following the youth that had young He brought Him to shepherd Jacob, His people, and Israel, His inheritance. As a young man tending His father's sheep, David was being prepared for something great. His faithfulness in what was little, it prepared Him for the calling that God would give Him, ultimately as King over His people. Verse 72, so David shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

God recognized that integrity in David from his youth. That integrity was tried, it was tested, it was proven with the sheep in the wilderness. The skillfulness of hand as well began to be developed at that time and age. And God said, I can use Him, a man after my own heart, a faithful man, who fulfill all of my purposes. 1 Chronicles 18, 14 tells us that David reigned over all of Israel and administered judgment and justice to all his people.

Ultimately, Scripture shows that being reigning King over Israel in that day is not the end of David's shepherding line. Scripture shows us that God will again use the resurrected King David to rule over the regathered nations of Israel and Judah as they are brought back together, established in a promised land at the beginning of the millennium, following the return of Jesus Christ. Let's look at one brief example. Ezekiel chapter 34. Ezekiel 34. You know, what if you were a shepherd in the flock in the field as a young boy and you didn't take your responsibility seriously? You might not think that's such a big deal. What if you went to work and you thought, you know what, I'm just trying to get through this day. I'm not going to give my employer my all. I'll just do simply what needs to be done. You know, I'm not going to go grab the line by the beard and slay it today. I'm simply going to do the minimum requirement. How would God look upon that? Obviously, David, in his faithfulness, God looked well upon it, and we see the principles of the shepherd throughout his life, yet even in the future. Ezekiel chapter 34 and verse 22 notice the description. God says, therefore I will save my flock. They shall no longer be prey. He refers to Israel and Judah, his people, as his flock, his sheep, and he desires that they would be tended in a right and proper way. He says, I will judge between sheep and sheep. Verse 23, I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, my servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd, and I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David, a prince among them. I the Lord have spoken.

Brethren, don't ever think that the little things in this life don't matter. Don't ever think something is too insignificant to really be a salvation issue. In fact, many have eternal consequences because, again, even if the matter physically doesn't seem so big, it goes to our character. What is our faithfulness? What is our dedication? How we handle the matters of stewardship that we've been given by God in this life, no matter how small, reveal to God our nature, our character. Can you look at you and I and say, here is somebody that will fulfill my will and my purpose in a specific way? Again, he who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much.

As I mentioned already this last week, I negotiated the sale of much of my business to someone else. Again, I sold them my client accounts. I sold them most of my equipment. And, frankly, in the whole process, my greatest concern was for my customers. Many of these people have been with me over 15 years, and I didn't want to just simply drop them and walk away. I wanted to find a replacement as well that would actually, I think, be a good fit for them.

I didn't think just any old company would do. So I wanted this transaction to actually be a win-win for them and the new owners as well. Last couple days, I had to start calling all my customers. I had to tell them that I was no longer going to be in business this year, and I presented and recommended the new company to them. And what's interesting is that pretty much, I guess at this point, I've called 80% of my customers, and 100% of those have said, well, you know what, if you recommend them, that's good enough for me.

And to me, that's like a huge weight off my shoulders to be able to have a smooth transition in this way, to be able to have the new owners who actually paid a price to purchase these customers actually have a customer base that will stay with you. What I found to be the greatest asset in convincing them, though, was my personal relationship with them. Again, many of them, 10, 15 years we've been together, and I've come to think of a lot of them as my friends and almost extended family in many ways. And through our working relationship, they've grown to trust me because they know I'm prompt, I'm fair, I'm scheduled, I'm not going to gouge them or treat them dishonestly in some way.

And frankly, I think in the end it paid off. It led to them saying, you know what, if you recommend that company, that's good enough for me. You know, what if I had had poor relationship with these people? What if I had been a poor servant in terms of serving them? I always tried to do as best of a job as I could, but what if I just sort of cut the corners in areas that I figured, well, nobody will notice, and I'll just kind of slip out, and maybe I can add another $10 or $15 to the bill here and there each month, and nobody will probably notice.

You know, what if I had done those things? Well, I really don't think that in the end it would have worked out well to have even a seamless transition in this way. I think it would have come back to bite me. The other company that has come in and bought my accounts, it's interesting, they've bought accounts before, and in one case it really did not work out well at all. Because they walked in the door, they bought accounts from a man at the end of a season, and as they went out in the spring and introduced themselves, he said, I'm not going to introduce you, you're going to have to go meet the customers yourself.

And in the spring, he went out to introduce their business and themselves, and the customers that they went to, they said, I'm so-and-so, I'm taking over for such-and-such company. And they said, what? That guy? Let me tell you about that guy. That guy, when he left, billed us for work that he didn't do. He was never on time. He was always sloppy. He says, at the end of the last season, we fired that guy.

And that man had been turned around with a crumbling business and sold it off as something that it was not. And the new owners then had basically purchased a bunch of blank accounts that were not serviceable to them, really, in much of any way. You know, for me, I couldn't live that way. I mean, I couldn't live with myself that way. This last year, as I knew this transition was coming, and I would be selling my business and transitioning into the pastoral ministry, in my mind, it was a challenge to maintain as high a level as I could.

And I wanted my business to go out on a high note, if I could say it that way. I didn't want it to be something that was in decline, something that was crumbling. I wanted it to be a reputable business on the day that I closed it down. Number one, I wanted for my peace of mind to know I'd done all I could to provide in that way. But also, number two, you know what, it may sound silly, but I didn't want anybody to say that he had to come crawling in the ministry just to survive financially.

And that's the truth. This year, as I exited the business, I can, for my own conscience, say it was in good shape. What was interesting was that the day that the new owner showed up this week to sign the paperwork, I opened up the mail, and there was a check in the mail, and it was from my commercial business. It was a commercial auto insurance that I had for my truck.

It was a refund check. And I had canceled that insurance before going to Africa in January. I just need regular insurance, not commercial liability insurance anymore on that vehicle. And they sent me a rebate check, and so I opened it up. I'm thinking this is going to be $16, $18. And I pulled it out, and the amount was for $1,869. And I looked at that, and I said, wow, you know, first reaction. Who cannot use another $1,869 that you didn't expect to come into the mail? So, first reaction was wow, and that lasted for about three seconds.

And I said, you know, there's something not right here. And I started examining the paperwork with it. And what I saw was the effective cancellation date that they had listed for that policy was January 2015. Not 16. Whoever I had called and talked to had, you know, you write a check at the first month of the year, you're still putting last year's date. They entered 2015, and they had sent me the refund of all the premiums that I had paid for my insurance policy the last year. So I picked up the phone, and I called them. They pulled it up on their records, and they said, well, sir, our records indicate you canceled January 2015.

I said, but that's not right. I canceled January 15, 2016. And they said, well, thank you for calling. We would not have caught it. If you not said anything, you know, it would have gone past the radar. And we would have never noticed. And for me, I said, you know what, I can't live that way because I would have noticed. You know what God would have noticed as well.

I actually was on a high after I hung up the phone that day because, you know what, it feels good to do the right thing. And strange as it sounds, it felt good to give back $1,869. They said, thank you very much for your honesty. We'll correct that problem right now. And you'd tear up the check. Throw it away.

The lesson I want us to see for today is to be diligent in our responsibilities, no matter how big or how small, is important to God. He's watching. He's watching when nobody else is looking. God knows whatever it is in our life that might come before us that we say, oh, this is a nice bonus. I could maybe slip that in. If it's not what is necessarily earned or legitimately brought our way, maybe nobody else knows, but God knows. God knows who is faithful in the little things. And He's watching that diligently as well. Colossians 3, verse 17.

Colossians 3, verse 17.

It says, in whatever you do, do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Remember who it is that you serve, ultimately. It's not selfish interest, rather than we serve God the Father and Jesus Christ. Verse 18.

Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. In many ways, these relationships are part of the stewardship that God has given us to manage. Hopefully we manage it well. Verse 22. Bond servants, maybe we could even say employees in today's vernacular. Obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye service as men pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality. Brother, in everything that we've been given to do, we need to do it all, big or small, from the perspective of serving Jesus Christ. What if Jesus Christ was your employer? What if he was your customer? What if he was your neighbor? How would you handle that relationship? Jesus Christ was your neighbor? Would you go out and pick up the paper from the street and bring it to the front door if you were out before he got up? We probably would. We would probably look at those relationships in a little bit in a different way. I think if we realize those things each and every day in the stewardship we've been given, maybe we'll bring our efforts up a notch or two, even in the little things. Final passage for today, Luke chapter 19, verse 12. Luke 19, verse 12. It's another parable of Jesus Christ. Parable of the meanest. Luke 19, verse 12. Therefore, Jesus said, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. And so he called ten of his servants and delivered them ten minas, and he said to them, Do business till I come. But his citizens hated him and set a delegation after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, whom he had given the money to be called, to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. You know, essentially what he's doing is he's calling to them and said, Come before me and give an account of your stewardship. Verse 16. Then came the first, saying, Master, your mina has earned ten minas. And he said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant, because you were faithful and very little have authority over ten cities. The second came, saying, Master, your mina has earned five minas. Likewise, he said to him, You also be over five cities. Then another came, saying, Master, here is your mina, which I put away in a handkerchief. For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You have collected where you did not deposit and reap, but you did not sow. And he said to him, Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit, reaping what I did not sow. He said, Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming, you might have collected it with interest? He probably would have liked 24 percent, would be my guess. And he said to those who stood by, Take the mina from him, give it to him who has ten minas. But he said to him, Master, he has ten minas. But Jesus, for I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given. And from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

Rather than how we handle what God has given us to manage is important. When he looks on us, does he see a people who can be trusted with the true riches? Does he see people who are faithful in what is least? Does he know that they indeed will be faithful in much? If he sees a people who can't even handle themselves in the stewardship of this daily life, why in the world would he entrust us with more?

Again, Jesus said in Luke 16, verse 10, He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Brethren, let us strive daily to be faithful in all things, big or small, even those things that we consider to be the least. Let us be faithful as we live this life walking and serving before God the Father and our elder brother, Jesus Christ.