“Well done my good and faithful servant…” (Matthew 25:23)

Do you know what Jesus was saying when he called the servant “Good?”
Hint: He wasn’t just referencing the opposite of “bad.”

I love to look at the Greek translation to help me understand the deeper meaning of scripture.

The word “Good,” here, in Greek, is “Agathos.”

“Agathos” means good; as to the believer, it describes what originates from God and is empowered by Him in their life, through faith.

What Jesus was saying when he spoke of the Master calling his servant good, had a deeper truth. When we are empowered by God in our life, through faith, and when we allow ideas, dreams, visions, and everything that originates from God to flow through us, he calls that “Good.”

Good is not simply a measurement of adequacy.

He was saying, “My good servant,” is the one who allows Me to originate plans and ideas and place them inside of him. Then he allows all of those things to be empowered by Me, and allows them to flow through him, through faith. Good, in this reference means that my life is a constant flow of God’s ideas being empowered inside of me, and fulfilled through me. A good servant of The Master is living empowered by God, with a constant stream of faith and flow from heaven, through them. 
That’s the good servant, the one who allows the flow.

What’s interesting is seeing where this Greek word, agathos, was used again. See, Matthew 7:11, where he talks about giving “Good Gifts” to his children. And, also, Matthew 7:17, referencing the “Good Tree.” They all use this same Greek reference for “Good.” We can see that being a servant of God, has much the same context as a gift that’s given, or a tree that grows and produces fruit. The gift originates with the giver, carefully chosen in love, wrapped in delight, and given away to the receiver. The gift flows through the giver. And the tree, planted by the Gardener, receives the sunlight, soaks up the rain, processes in season, and one day produces fruit. A Good Servant is much the same. 

What’s not good is when ideas, thoughts and dreams from the Lord get stagnant inside of us, or when we cause the flow to become dormant, or stalled. Some plants get root rot because they don’t have enough of a drainage system for the amount of water they are receiving. They start to stink! Just like a creek or a portion of a river that becomes lifeless when it no longer has an outlet, or when the stream is blocked by objects or obtrusions. They have to be removed so the source can flow once again. That’s how God intended our lives to be. So, consider the Good Tree, the one that receives the rain and flourishes with the system of seed receiving, and fruit giving that it was intended for. Consider, the Good Gift, the one that flowed from the giver.

Why was the man who buried his talent called a wicked and lazy servant? Because seeds were never meant to be hidden, they were meant to be planted. Gifts were never meant to be buried, blessings were never meant to be stored away. Once we grasp the understanding of faith and flow, we can better understand what God means by being a Good servant.

The one who allows the flow.
The one who plants and produces.
The one who receives and releases.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus,
Thank you, for your gifts, for your words that you speak over us and your presence you make available to us each day. Make us more like you, in learning how to become a Good Servant. One who receives a gift, allows that gift to be empowered by your Spirit, then allows that gift to be released out into the world. It’s what you did for us when you came and you died. Help us to grow in our ability to release the things in our hands, that so often want to remain closed. Help us to find the faith inside, and the courage to live empowered by your Holy Spirit!

We ask specifically for you to allow us to flow in your presence, daily. When you speak, may we move. When you plant ideas in us, may they be well-watered by faith and radically distributed with a banner harvest flowing through us.We ask that the moment we hear your voice, we would not hesitate to respond. We ask that the moment you plant ideas, we would no longer question them. Help us become your Good Servant, allowing a constant, daily flow and stream from heaven in us, and through us. May the walls of our heart be open, ready, and willing for your Good and perfect gifts!

We love you, Lord.
And ask these things, in Your name,
Amen!