S47P2 – A show of faithfulness: tellers of secrets
1 Corinthians 4:1-2
So then, let us be regarded as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found faithful and trustworthy.
It was a circumstance that no one really wants to contemplate. He was organizing his estate and had to prepare for the possibility of his death occurring much sooner than expected. He had small children, and it certainly mattered how the estate would be handled if his life ended before they became adults. He was tasked with deciding who was trustworthy enough to hold assets in trust for his children if that became the case. He had to ask himself whether he knew someone who could be faithful in managing the legacy he would leave for his children. Likewise, God looks for us to be faithful in managing the spiritual legacy He entrusts to us in expectation that we would pass that along to the world.
Our heavenly Father has an endless storehouse of mysteries to reveal to us. As we walk in relationship with him and show that we are loyal and trustworthy, He shares those secrets with us. Faithfulness is a requirement here because those secrets are not just for us to keep. Those secrets are for us to share with others so that we can help bring them close to God. It is not for us to hoard the treasures He gives us but to invest those treasures in others. We do not bury them and save them for a rainy day, but we use them today to sow into people. He is looking for Christians who will take the mysteries He reveals to them and faithfully reveal them to the world that does not know him. It is a requirement that we be faithful in teaching his mysteries to others.
Some people might see this as pressure. They may forgo seeking the mysteries of God because that creates a requirement that they must fulfill. However, if this is pressure it certainly is a privilege as well. That God would find us faithful enough to trust us with his secrets and use us to share himself with the world is a magnificent thing. If we question our ability to be loyal in this way, we only need remember that He is the one who makes us trustworthy to begin with. He is the one who imparts to us his faithfulness so that we can be faithful to him in return. Father, thank You for sharing your secrets with us and making it possible for us to be trustworthy enough to pass that legacy on to others.