“For who will hearken unto you
in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall
his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.” (1Sa 30:24 AV)
Faithfulness,
and not function, is what determines blessings.
David had a total of six hundred men able to go to war. When Ziklag was burned and their families
lost, David and four hundred of his men pursued the Amalekites, while two
hundred remained behind to guard what was left of their belongings. The two hundred who were left behind were
unable to go into battle because they were physically unable to do so. It was not a heart issue. It was a body issue. When the four hundred returned from war,
their wish was the two hundred be given their families back and sent on their
way because they refused to aid in the battle.
David makes the statement above that no matter what contribution an
individual makes towards the success of the campaign, they are entitled to reap
the same benefits.
There
was a struggle I went through as a young preacher many years ago. When occasion would permit me to attend conferences
at larger works, the temptation to admire preachers of larger works was
common. I would often see those men as
giants of the faith of whom I would never measure up, and therefore, never be
of any use to the LORD. Furthermore, I
remember thinking how much of God’s blessings I would miss because I could
never accomplish what they were accomplishing.
Over the years, I have learned to get over that temptation. The LORD gave me the privilege of serving
with different types of leaders of various church sizes and settings. From the larger urban church to the very
small country church, the LORD taught me a lesson that I learned well.
It’s
not the amount of talents one has, but rather, what ones does with what one has
that makes the difference. I have seen
too many of God’s preachers look down on a small country church or a small inner
city work as though it is inconsequential.
Shame on them. I have seen
several men who were discontented with where God had them serve and tried to
make a work more than God intended for it to be. They lost sight of the sheep in front of them
for the hope of sheep they hoped would eventually come. There are no prizes for the largest Sunday School
class. There is a bumper sticker that
was often seen on many a car and truck.
It said, “The one who dies with the most toys, wins.” That is not true when it comes to serving the
LORD. Whether one serves faithfully in
the menial tasks of the church, or is front and center in the battle, the spoil
is the same. Whether one is a great soul
winner, or a lowly custodian, the spoils are the same. Whether in the public eye or in the privacy
of the prayer closet, all those who fight the battle in the strength God gives
enjoys the blessings because of their faithfulness.
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