results

I made a statement in last Sunday's message that I have been thinking about quite a bit. I said, "God doesn't reward us based on results, He rewards us based on our FAITHFULNESS".
You see, the results are God's. In the parable of the three servants in Matthew 25:14-30, one servant is given 5 talents, one is given 2 talents and one is given 1 talent. When the master returned he called them to give an account of how they had used His money. The servant with 5 and the servant with 2 talents had both doubled his money. His response to them was, "well done my good and FAITHFUL servant, You have been FAITHFUL in handling the small amount, so now I will give you more responsibilities.." To the servant that had been given 1 talent who had done nothing with the master's money, he was rebuked because he had been unfaithful with the things entrusted to him.

The results are always God's.
For the parent this means that your responsibility is to faithfully train up your children in the way they should go, but the results are God's
For the person who witnesses to a friend or family member, your job is to faithfully share Christ, the results are God's.
For the Pastor, your job is to faithfully follow the Lord and lead His people, the results are His.

Ultimately the words I would like to hear when I meet Christ face to face are, "well done my good and FAITHFUL servant".