His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. — Matthew 25:21
It is always nice to hear when you have done something well. For those who like to cook, they enjoy hearing that someone enjoyed the meal. For those who make things, they like to hear people were happy with them. While some people say that they do not necessarily need to hear that they did something well, it is good for everyone to hear it from time to time.
In Matthew, Jesus was sharing the parable about the talents, where servants were given talents to watch over in the absence of the owner. The owner divided to each differently, giving them a specific number and section of talents according to their ability. After some time, the owner returned to see what they had done.
In life, we have each been trusted by God with something special and unique, that He expects us to use while here on earth. When you read these verses, it’s easy to conclude that God is looking for someone that will use their gifts and grow them. I think that overlooks two keywords in the statement.
Not only did he say he did a good job, but he used the words good and faithful. In saying he was good, it means that he operated with honesty, kindness, and was merciful. In being faithful, he was true to the interests of the one who gave him the gift. He was focused on the ending, not the and not what was right in front of him. He had a desire to do the right thing.
When God looks at what he has given us, what will be said? Will we have been good and faithful or will we be found to have been unfaithful? Our life is not about ourselves, but about what God wants with the things He has trusted to us.
