How Much Does God Trust You?

Today was a long overdue cleaning day. While vacuuming the baseboards with a vengeance, I ran full tilt into the corner of the window trim, creating a small gash in my scalp. Thankfully my daughter was here to lend a hand and the damage was minimal, but I needed to sit for a bit to collect myself. Overhearing me ask my daughter to check for a gash in my scalp, my toddler grandson who had been following me around from room to room saw my tears and with as much concern as he could muster, asked, “You don’t have a rash, do you, Lolly?” It was hard not to laugh, even with my aching head, but had it not been for Thomas sitting with me to read, I would have pushed myself to be right back at the vacuuming, ready to finish and move on.

How do you manage overwhelm? When your to do list is longer than your week, how do you navigate your days? What do you do when two more things get added to the schedule that is already jam packed? I can be one of those people who kick it into high gear and knock it all out with time to spare, energized by the activity. I can also be one who dissolves into a heap, unable to decide where to even start, but what if I paused instead, in the midst of my busy to ask myself, “How much does God trust me?”

Now, take a minute to look at your calendar, your bank account, your home, your job, and your people and ask yourself, “How much does God trust me?”

Look at all He’s given you. Thank Him by stewarding the trust well. Jesus told many parables explaining the principle of stewardship, which goes all the way back to the creation account.

”God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”

God created human beings; he created them godlike, Reflecting God’s nature. He created them male and female.

God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”“

Genesis 1:26-28 MSG

https://bible.com/bible/97/gen.1.26-28.MSG

“Take charge! Be responsible for” is Eugene Peterson’s The Message rendering of “reign or rule over or have dominion or authority over” the Earth. Too often today we confuse what it means to have authority with something more akin to authoritarianism. Our world puts far too much emphasis on having power and not nearly enough on taking responsibility, but recognizing that our dominion is God-given means acknowledging God’s ultimate sovereignty.

Who has God placed in your life in this season? Place yourself for a moment in the center of a circle and begin looking outward. Who are you interacting with on a regular basis? Who do you share coffee with each morning? Who are you raising? Who depends on you to show up? Who is waiting for you to return home each evening? How do you travel from place to place? Who recognizes your car? Who’s looking for you in a crowd? Who do you meet for lunch? Who are you praying for and who’s praying for you?

”“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.

If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.“

Matthew 24:45-47 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.24.45-47.NLT

”Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.

If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.

And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?

And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?“

Luke 16:9-12 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.16.9-12.NLT

Money talks. Follow the money. Jesus knew how to grab the attention of the masses, but so many failed to grasp what He was really teaching. Stewardship is a trust. Being a good steward, or as He put it, a good and faithful servant, means acknowledging that it’s all His. Everything belongs to God. (Psalm 50:9-11)

”“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone.

To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.“

Matthew 25:14, 29 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.25.14-29.NLT

”“But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.

For I was hungry, and you fed me.

I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink.

I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.

I was naked, and you gave me clothing.

I was sick, and you cared for me.

I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “

Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’“

Matthew 25:31, 34-40 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.25.31-40.NLT

He trusts you with life- yours and so many others.

He created you with a soul, capable of being in-dwelt by His Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing you are His, with all the rights and privileges of sonship. (Ephesians 1:14, II Corinthians 5:5)

You belong to Him. I belong to Him. (Isaiah 43:1)

Does knowing all this change the way you think about God and His law and Christ’s sacrifice?