Chapter 11

'GOD IS FAITHFUL'

A devout little woman wrote me a letter from Texas recently and said, 'My text for today is, " He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust (unrighteous) in the least is unjust (unrighteous) also in much " (Luke xvi. 10).'

What searching words are these of the Saviour! They should give us pause. They should set us to searching and judging ourselves, and this searching should enter into all departments of our life, and this judgment should be as before God's eyes, it should be unsparing -- far more so than our judgment upon our neighbors. When we judge them we may do ourselves and them great harm  and injustice, and bring upon ourselves judgment and condemnation, for we are bidden not to sit in judgment upon others. 'Judge not,' said Jesus. 'Who art thou that judgest another? ' wrote the Apostle. But if we candidly and impartially judge ourselves we may thereby do ourselves and others great good, and so escape the judgment of God, for if we would judge ourselves,' and so correct ourselves, 'we should not be judged,' Wrote Paul (1 Corinthians xi. 31). 'Faithful in that which is least.' What are some of the least things?

Jesus was talking about business and money. Are we faithful in the use of money? Of our own money, and of The Army's money entrusted to us? Personally, I have for many years felt that one-tenth of all I had belonged to God. Some have said to me, 'You have given yourself to God, why give Him your money?' A most distinguished Christian leader said that to me one day, and I confess I was deeply surprised, if not shocked. I ask others to give, and I should feel myself utterly faithless if I did not give freely to my Master's cause and to His poor as I am able.

Are we faithful in the use of our time? Do we gather up the minutes for some useful employment, for prayer, for reading, for visiting? Some Officers and Soldiers waste much time after Meetings at night which they should spend in bed, and then they waste much time in bed in the morning when they should be up studying, praying, rejoicing, and attending to the duties of the day.

Are we faithful in the matter of speech? Little words are slipping out through the portals of our lips continually. Are they words we should say in the presence of Jesus?

I was much struck recently as I read Psalm xii. 4. God had a controversy with these people over their words, and they proudly and insolently replied, 'Our lips are our own: who is Lord over us?'

'The tongue is a little member,' wrote the Apostle James. Are we faithful in its use, or careless, thoughtless, foolish, wicked? For every idle, harmful word we shall have to give an account, we shall be brought into Judgment, said the Master. Oh, how important that we be faithful in our speech.

Are we faithful in the use of eye and ear and hand and foot? Are we faithful with ourselves, with our hearts, our consciences, our imaginations? Do we live as in God's sight, seeking always to do the things that please Him, so that we have the sweet, silent whisper in our hearts -- 'My beloved child in whom I am well pleased'? To 'the well-beloved Gaius' the Apostle John said, 'Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest' (3 John 5), and if you and I do likewise, some day a greater than John will say to us, 'Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.'