LUKE 16:10-13 – “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? “And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
While I was in the Navy, I had the privilege to be my ship’s Protestant Lay Leader. This was not a primary duty but a collateral one in addition to my main obligations. But it gave me the opportunity to hold Bible studies, daily devotions, and worship services on Sundays. There was one young sailor who started to attend our weekly Bible studies and worship services. He was faithful for about a month, then he approached me with this question, “I would like to be involved in the Sunday services. God has gifted me to be a preacher and I want to preach.” This young sailor and also young believer always had something to say at Bible studies and daily devotions held for interested crewmembers. I knew what I had on our hands; a spiritual novice who wanted to be visible and recognized. I said to him, “How about this. You help me set up chairs, hymn books and get the room ready for worship services. We will do that together for awhile and we talk and pray about you preaching.” Well, I never saw him again. He just quit. Lesson? Today’s lesson: be faithful in the little things and the Lord may grant you bigger things.”
The Lord calls us to a life of faithfulness and such a life is built one step at a time learning to be content with where God has us and how He is using us at this very moment. We are not to look beyond today when it comes to faithfulness in walking with and serving Him. That does not mean “Live loose and don’t plan.” No, we must redeem the time (Ephesians 5:15-16) and blossom in our walks with and service for the Lord.
Jesus would emphasize that we don’t seek recognition, public notice, or “front row seating.” In the Parable of the Wedding Feast that is His teaching – Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:7-11).
The issue with my shipmate mentioned in the opening paragraph was pride. He wanted to be visible and recognized by people. And here is the scary part. He didn’t see his pride. For us? Seek simply to be faithful and make Jesus the only Person we seek affirmation from. That look is the only one to suppress pride, and our desire for self-glory and self-honor.
PRAYER: “Lord, help me to see a life of faithfulness begins with doing little things for Your glory.”
QUOTE: “If we cannot be trusted with the little things, the Lord won’t entrust us with bigger things.”