The minister listened, his eyes moistening and his thin hand trembling. "I feel it all," he replied, "but God knows I've tried to do my duty." On that day the minister's heart was heavy as he stood before his flock. As he finished the message, he felt a strong inclination to resign.

After everyone else had left, that one boy came to him and asked, "Do you think if I worked hard for an education, I could become a preacher--perhaps a missionary?"

Again tears welled up in the minister's eyes. "Ah, this heals the ache I feel," he said. "Robert, I see the Divine hand now. May God bless you, my boy. Yes, I think you will become a preacher."

Many years later an aged missionary returned to London from Africa. His name was spoken with reverence. Nobles invited him to their homes. He had added many souls to the church of Jesus Christ, reaching even some of Africa's most savage chiefs. His name was Robert Moffat, the same Robert who years before had spoken to the pastor that Sunday morning in the old Scottish church.

Lord, help us to be faithful. Then give us the grace to leave the results to you. 

We don't know what God can do in the lives of people until we are willing to serve Him with faithfulness, continuing to share the gospel, both in word and in deed, with those in our circle of influence.

The Starfish - Faithful To Care About Even One

I recently read about an old man, walking the beach at dawn, who noticed a young man ahead of him picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea. Catching up with the youth, he asked what he was doing. The answer was that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun.

'But the beach goes on for miles and miles, and there are millions of starfish,' countered the man. 'How can your effort make any difference?'

The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it to safety in the waves. 'It makes a difference to this one,' he said."  (Hugh Duncan, Leadership Journal)

While we look for the Lord to exalt those who humble themselves, we must never get our focus off of individual people.  That is where God is focused because He was not willing that any should perish, so He sent His only Son to draw all men to Himself.  God reaches out to the lowest of the low in search of those who would place their faith and trust in Him.  We can do no less.

Faithful To God

But the best definition of faithfulness is our continuing faith and trust in God.

Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.  That is a famous song.  It is based on a couple of verses in the Bible.

1 Jo 5:4-5  for everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world?  Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

To have faithfulness we must have faith, and to have faith there must be an object of our faith.  The faith of the believer is in Jesus Christ. But faith cannot be split between the things of this world and God.  If it is, then it is not really faith in God alone.  By splitting our faith between God and money, we are saying to God, "I don't