Want a promotion? – Monday, 23 April

“Moreover it is required in stewards (a manager), that a manbe found faithful.”
1 Corinthians 4:2 KJV Brackets mine

Faithfulness is the number one requirement for a steward (someone who represents someone else and looks after their affairs or assets). It’s something you need to do – being faithful is a choice and a continuous action – but it’s also a character issue. Living out the principle of faithfulness will help grow in your destiny and it will set you up for promotion. Being faithful means that you’re trustworthy, dependable, consistent and dedicated. Everyone wants employees (representatives) who are committed, trustworthy and consistent. Decide to be that employee – whatever your responsibilities are at work, church or home, be faithful to do them and do them with excellence. Choose to represent your boss, company or church well. Be the kind of steward you would want to have. This will help increase your influence.

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”
Luke 16:10 KJV

The context here is talking about money and being faithful in our use of money, but the principle stands in other areas too. If you are faithful with little (if you can be trusted with little) then you can be trusted with more. No one can go from no 

responsibility to much responsibility quickly and survive it. God wants to grow you there so that the influence you have is sustainable. He grows you there by growing you in your character. But remember that He cannot give you character: you need to co-labour with Him in the development of your character. When opportunities to develop your character arise, you need to embrace it and make the correct decisions; He will then empower you to walk in the decisions you make. As you prove that you are trustworthy, God will increase your influence and bring opportunities for promotion.

“20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for

honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”
2 Timothy 2:20-21 NKJV

To be used by God (and your boss) you need to be usable, and you are the one who decides if you are usable or not. To be promoted you need to be promotable, and you decide if you’re promotable or not. “If anyone cleanses himself…” shows that the responsibility is on us to become usable. You might say: “But that’s legalism!”. But it’s not. Paul (the apostle of grace) wrote to Timothy (a leader in the church) and said: “Here are the requirements for leadership”. In other words, if you want to be an influencer and a leader, then there are certain requirements you need to fulfil – and if you look at them (1 Timothy 3) you’ll see it is all to do with 

character. Character determines how you live, and so character is the primary issue for influence and promotion. Even if you don’t prove yourself faithful and God can’t entrust you with more influence and responsibility, He still loves you and wants to bless you. He won’t be mad at you. All that it means is that you will not enjoy life as you could have and you will not walk in the fullness of your destiny. But His love for you, and His acceptance of you is without condition and will never change.