Faithful in the Waiting: Lessons from Matthew 25

In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25, Jesus tells a story that speaks powerfully into the long season of waiting between His first coming and His return.

He describes a master who goes away on a journey and entrusts his servants with his wealth. One receives five bags of gold, another two, and another one, each according to their ability. The amounts are different, but the responsibility is the same. They are all expected to do something with what they have been given.

After a long time, the master returns and asks each servant to give an account. The first two servants have invested what they were given and multiplied it. Although their results are different, the master responds to both in exactly the same way: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” He does not compare them or measure them against one another. Instead, he celebrates their faithfulness.

This is a vital truth for those serving in rural ministry. It is easy to feel small when the work is quiet, the growth is slow, and the resources are limited. However, this parable reminds us that God does not measure success the way we often do. He is not asking whether we have the largest impact or the most visible ministry. He is asking whether we have been faithful with what we have been given.

The story takes a serious turn with the third servant. He does not waste the money or lose it. Instead, he buries it and does nothing. His inaction is rooted in fear and a distorted view of his master. Because of this, he is called unfaithful. The warning is clear: doing nothing with what God has entrusted to us is not neutral.

For those in rural ministry, this can be a real challenge. The temptation is rarely outright rebellion but discouragement or hopelessness. It can sound like, “What difference does this really make?” or “Nothing ever changes here.” Over time, that mindset can lead us to stop investing in the people and the places God has called us to serve.

Jesus calls His followers to live ready, not by waiting passively but by living faithfully. This means consistently showing up, loving the people in front of us, and using whatever God has placed in our hands for His kingdom. Even when it feels small, it matters.

The question this parable leaves us with is deeply personal: if Jesus were to return today and ask, “What have you done with what I gave you?” how would we respond?

For those who are already serving faithfully with what they have been given, this is an encouragement to keep going. Your work matters more than you know. For those who feel inconsistent, this is an invitation to lean in again. And for those who recognise that they have buried what God has given them, it is time to begin again.

And in the end, after all the faithful work, ministry and service that so often goes unseen, day after day showing up, sowing seeds, and staying when it would have been easier to leave, how good it will be to hear Him say: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”