23: Test Faithfulness

Key Passage

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Luke 16:10-13

From the 20 Practices of Disciplemakers:

One of Jesus' discipleship secrets was that He tested His disciples… frequently. Testing is an important aspect of helping people grow to maturity. When a sports coach is unsure about a player, he tests them against certain opposition or in a different position. When an army officer wants to know which troops to trust, he puts them through their paces, testing their mettle.

If we are to grow disciples to maturity in Christ, we must be prepared to test them:

Servanthood: ask disciples to serve in various capacities. Don't protect them from serving, but give them plenty of opportunities and what their responses are.

Luke 16:10-13 shows us three aspects of faithfulness to be tested in people:

• Small things allow people's hearts to be revealed in insignificant tasks. Will they do them as unto the Lord?

• Finances: Can a disciple steward wealth accurately?

• Others' possessions: How will they treat things that don't belong to them? For example, you can see a person's heart by how they drive a hired car.

Faithfulness shows up in how we respond to the things that life throws our way. Be sure you are close enough to see the responses in those you are discipling.