The most precious thing God considers when raising up a worker is faithfulness. Apostle Paul said that God entrusted him His service because He considered Paul faithful. Listen to Paul’s testimony. “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service” (1 Timothy 1:12).

Paul was giving thanks that Jesus appointed him to His service. A person who is appointed to a service ought to be grateful for the service. God valuably uses the one who considers the service precious. What’s more precious than the duties and jobs in the world is the God appointed services. When a church appoints officers, they are appointed in the name of God. For such reason, when the saints are appointed to a service in the church, they are receiving the entrusted service from God. It is wisdom to consider God appointed service to be precious. Apostle Paul considered God appointed service to be precious. In addition, he gave thanks for that service.

Paul emphasized that the most important thing to a worker is faithfulness. Faithfulness describes the attitude towards the service and towards the one who appointed the service. Attitude is more important than the skill. Although a person may be skillful, if he has a bad attitude then he cannot be used valuably. However, although he may lack in his skill, if he has a good attitude then he can be developed infinitely. Paul knew what he lacked. He confessed that he was a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man before he met Jesus (1 Timothy 1:13). However, God considered Paul faithful and appointed him to His service. After being appointed to the service, Paul realized that only thing he needed to seek as the one who is appointed is faithfulness. “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2).

In the parable of the talents that Jesus told, the one who was given five talents and the one who was given two talents each brought back the profit of five and two talents. The one who received one talent didn’t gain any profit because he hid the talent in the ground. The master praised the servants who profited five and two talents. The praise they received was for their faithfulness. “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21). Then, what is faithfulness?

The word, faithfulness, can be better understood when it is examined closely through its Chinese word, ‘Choong Sung (忠誠).’ The word ‘choong’ in Chinese is made out of two words which mean center and heart. In addition, the word ‘sung’ in Chinese is also made out of two words which mean word and fulfillment. According to the combination of these four words that makes up a word ‘Choong Sung’ means ‘fulfillment of the word that is placed in the center of the heart.” What’s most important in order to be faithful is to listen carefully and to obey. A faithful worker is the one who is obedient. 

A faithful worker is the one who is faithful even to the small things. The lesson the Lord is teaching us through the parable of the talents is the importance of being faithful to the small things. Small thing is not well recognized. However, God’s eyes are on person’s faithfulness towards the small things and the unseen matters. God watches the attitude towards the small things. And He entrusts the more valuable and greater things. 

A faithful worker is the one who keeps the beginner’s heart. Apostle Paul always remembered the overwhelmingness that he felt when he first was appointed to the service. The beginner’s heart speaks of the mission. Paul knew that the service he was appointed was his mission. In order to complete his mission, he even considered his life to be nothing (Acts 20:24). The beginner’s heart is the heart of a constant learner. It is the heart that seeks to learn humbly and continuously. In order to maintain the beginner’s heart, we have to live a life of a lifelong learner. When learning ceases, growth ceases. When growth ceases, flexibility is lost. When flexibility is lost, it is easy to break. When there is no flexibility, there is no fruit. Fruit is bore at the end of smooth and flexible branch. When growth ceases, we are not able to influence anymore. When there is no influence, there is no more leadership. I hope that we all become the faithful workers. I hope that we become the workers whom the Lord praises to be good and faithful. I pray that God’s grace may be poured upon all of you, especially, on those who are being appointed to the service.