Faithful with Few

Faithful with Few

“Mom can I get a puppy? I promise I’ll take care of it!” It’s a classic story. A child says they want a puppy but their parents are skeptical that the child can handle the responsibility of a dog. So what do they do? They get the child a hamster instead and say, “Now, if you do a good job with the hamster, maybe the next step will be to get you a puppy.” The hamster is a test to see how invested the child is in the idea of a pet and to see how hard they are willing to work.

Jesus is using this same concept in his “Parable of the Bags of Gold.” He talks about a Master giving his servants each a certain amount of gold to take care of while he is away. When he returns he sees that some of the servants did wonderful things with their money, while one servant did not. God has given us each gifts and skills and has asked us to use them to our best ability for Him. Some people squander their gifts and use them for evil, while others use them to glorify God.

Sometimes I have thought to myself “Lord, please put me in a big school with wildly successful programs and top notch musicians.” This is actually a real life example because I was interviewed at a large school with 4-5 choirs and a successful music program in place. But God had other plans. He placed me in a much smaller school in a part time position. And it turned out to be the perfect place for me. God knew I was not ready to handle such a large task and so he asked me to be faithful in another one.

Look at what you have and the position you are currently in. Instead of wishing for more, be faithful with what you have. God can see infinitely more than we can and knows exactly what we need when we need it. The child who proves they can take care of a hamster will eventually get a dog. Be faithful with what you have, and God will give you more than you thought possible.

- Kendra Mikols

Are you a Gaston or a Belle?

The classic Disney movie “Beauty and the Beast” is a beloved movie. It follows Belle who is imprisoned by a Beast to save her father but ends up (spoiler alert) falling in love with her captor and turning him into a prince again. There is another popular character in this movie, Gaston. Gaston loves pretty much one thing: himself. He is strong, brave, and has many accolades to his name. The problem with Gaston is that he lacks love for anyone else. This is why Belle spurns his advances.

1 Corinthians 13: 1-3 says “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” Herein lies Gaston’s problem. He’s a smooth talker, can make others do whatever he wants and can probably lift a horse over is head, but he does not have love, so he is nothing. Belle on the other hand, is willing to lay down her life for others including her father and the Beast. And of course, love win out in the end.

On the spectrum of love, are you closest to Belle or Gaston? Do you have talents and awards but do not use your gifts for others? Or, do you give to others but not because you care about them but because it makes you look good? We can be very Christian people but sometimes slip into a Gaston-like state. It's important to continually check ourselves and our motives for the love of Christ so that we aren’t a “resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Cor. 13:1). Being people of love is what Christ has called us to.

- Kendra Mikols

Stay Focused

It is important for us in our Christian walk to keep our eyes focused on Jesus. Peter learned that the hard way when he was trying to walk on the water. One moment of taking his eyes off the Lord and he floundered. This was an important moment in Peter’s life but it serves as an incredible metaphor for all those who read this story: When you take your eyes off the Lord, you will falter.

The Bible is very clear on what we should fill our lives with and what we should avoid. Colossians 3:2 says “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Romans 8:5 says “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” And Psalm 1:1 says “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

God knows that where we set our focus will mean the difference between life and death. If we keep our eyes on Him, we are not guaranteed an easy life but we will be saving ourselves the trouble of feeling like we have a lack of direction or meaning. I am reminded of the famous hymn that says “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth become strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.” We are so blessed to have an all-powerful guide in life and a gracious God who knows where our focus needs to be.

- Kendra Mikols