serving | Timothy Burt

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

Fizzle Out! Have you ever heard that expression? What might you picture if you heard that expression? One of the definitions for fizzle is “A failure or aborted effort.” When I think of this term, I think of people that claimed to be excited about something or make great commitment to something only to later “fizzle out.” I’ve seen many a person claim their faithfulness and commitment to something only to soon “fizzle out.” I’ve seen people fizzle out of their marriages, fizzle out of the good intentions of their parenting efforts, fizzle out of their plans to trim down or get in shape, fizzle out of their commitments to things that they said, “God had told them to do.” Prov 20:6 says,“Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?” Many people will proclaim all the great and wonderful things they can or are going to do, but I always wonder who will still be there doing what they started out to do in the end?

I have always had great admiration for people who are faithful and finish what they start out to do. This country was founded by faithful pioneers who had a vision of great things that could be and were faithful to that vision. Pioneers and people faithful to a cause usually make innumerable unseen sacrifices of their own time and resources for the future good of others. We are blessed to be living in a land that was pioneered by the faithful with tremendous sacrifice so that we may experience the prosperity and freedom that we have today. Jesus loved us so much that He died for us, forgave our sins, and gave us eternal life as a gift. He gave us His Word to show us how to live a blessed life. He did this not while we were trying to be good. He did this out of love “while we were yet sinners.” That is love. He has asked us to live a life sharing Jesus’ love throughout our life and in all the diversity of ways that it can be shared. He blessed you and He simply wants to spread that blessing. He asks us to be faithful to live for Him and be those that share that blessing.

Jesus warned us that some would be faithful and some would fizzle. We read in Luke 12:35-38, “Be dressed for service and well prepared, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let him in the moment he arrives and knocks. There will be special blessing for those who are ready and waiting for his return. I tell you, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat! He may come in the middle of the night or just before dawn. But whenever he comes, there will be special blessing for his servants who are ready!”

Faithful people that love and serve God are often working quietly and diligently behind the scenes without much glory. These kinds of people aren’t driven by fanfare. They are driven by the inward vision and passion of sharing and touching others with the same love of Jesus that transformed their own life. They are the salt of the earth. They sacrifice their personal time and resources for the effort of obeying the calling the Lord has given to us all. Few people understand the sacrifices they make of their personal and family time to help others. They have the same demands on their life that everyone else has and yet, they selflessly let go of some of their personal time and resources for the well being of others. People like this are the gold and precious stones of the earth. They are the salt that brings mankind its flavor. They are God’s living and breathing blessings manifest in this earth to make our lives better.

I am personally surrounded by people like this at our church: The “faithful ones.” These are people that have been faithfully serving others out of their heart and unto the Lord for 10, 15, and even 20 years. They don’t just touch people in the church. They also reach out into the community and workplace. They consider it a part of their destiny and God-given purpose. What they do is a hugely significant part in God’s wonderful scheme of things.

The faithful are a huge part of what makes my life rich. They don’t know what “fizzle out” means. They live a life of faithfulness. I hope you notice the faithful that touch you and your family’s lives and let them know that you’ve noticed. As I said, they don’t live for fanfare. I also know that a simple but sincere thank-you fills their tank to go on and on!

Prov 20:6 “Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?”

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt

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