In a world where everyone is always wanting bigger and better it is easy to overlook the importance of being faithful in small things and to ask ourselves what are we doing with what we have in our hands and have already been blessed with?
Jesus said, “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?” (Luke 16:20)
God wants to use us in incredible ways but He also wants to see how we manage what we have and how trustworthy we are in the smaller things before we are given the responsibility of true riches.
This doesn’t mean that God only uses or approves of people who have a lot of money or are incredibly successful in the world’s eyes. He looks at our attitudes, who we are when no one is looking, what we have and how we are using it now.
God always calls and brings increase to those who choose to be faithful and honest in managing their skills, gifting’s and abilities and who are not idle, lazy or take for granted what they have.
He values our attitudes, the condition of our hearts and our work ethic. Elisha was working in the fields with his oxen when Elijah, who directed by God, called him to come and be his apprentice. Moses was faithfully looking after his father-in-law’s sheep when God called him. David was on shepherding duties, mostly forgotten about by his own family, when God chose him to be the next king. Amos was a hardworking herdsman. Peter, James, John and Andrew were fishermen. Matthew was sitting at the table working on his accounts. But no where in the Bible does God call a person who is not diligently using what they already have.
Luke 16:11 says, “If you’re not honest in small jobs, who will put you in charge of the store?” That’s God’s basic way of looking at this. What we do with what we have already and how we use our time, skill and money is a barometer of our hearts.
For “God will always do great things with people who are willing to be faithful in the small things” (Lysa Terkeurst)
If you aren’t happy with what you already have and how your life is now, examine whether you are using your skills, abilities, possessions and all you’ve been given to the best of your abilities? Are you seeking to bless others and serve God with what you have? For if we are not faithful in earthly matters, how can we be faithful in heavenly matters?
“A little thing is a little thing, but faithfulness in the little things is a great thing” (Hudson Taylor)
Today consider how faithful and honest you are in small things. Seek to use what you have; your skills, gifting, money, home, car, possessions, your time and effort to the best of your ability. Make what you have available to God for Him to use and as you do you’ll soon discover He’ll start to trust you with bigger things and His true riches.
Prayer: Lord please help me to use what I have already to the best of my abilities; to both serve you and others in the small things so that I can be trusted with more. In Jesus name amen.