Small-Thing Faithfulness!

Bible by Steven J. Sullivan at www.freeimages.com

We admire the big-thing faithfulness. We laud it in decade anniversary celebrations, 40-year retirement parties, and in funeral eulogies about the person’s lifelong faithfulness to Christ.  Big-thing faithfulness is what all of us want and desire.  Christians want to be faithful until death (Rev. 2:10).  People get married intending to celebrate a 50th anniversary one day.  We go to work and save our money intending to store up wealth and retire comfortably years in the future.  We intend to be regular worship attenders and actively involved in our home church.  This is the big thing faithfulness.  I have premarital couples fill out a goal sheet for their future.  It always includes these big-thing faithfulness items.

Yet, we are seeing a tremendous failure in our culture with faithfulness.  God desires faithfulness (1 Cor. 4:2).  Faithfulness involves being trustworthy, dependable, and committed.  It doesn’t just happen.  It requires commitment and intentionality.  Our problem lies in the fact that we desire the big-thing faithfulness, but are not willing to do the small-thing faithfulness.  

Jesus taught us, “One who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much” (Luke 16:10).  Here is the key!  We accomplish the big-thing faithfulness through doing the small-thing faithfulness everyday!  This is what Jesus meant in Luke 9:23, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”  We have to deny ourselves and take up our crosses daily!  This daily part is where it is difficult.  How many of you started an exercise program with great intentions and goals in January that has long been cast aside?  The tough part is choosing to do the program daily.

So if you want to accomplish the big-thing faithfulness, then you have to do what may seem small or trivial now.  To be faithful to Christ until death you have to choose to read your Bible regularly, pray daily, and attend worship.  To be faithful to your spouse over 50 years you have to choose to enrich your love each day through seemingly small acts of love.  To be faithful to your career you have to show up to work and put forth an honest day’s work.  We accomplish the big through doing the small everyday.  

So start today by being faithful!  Do it everyday!  And in the end you will hear the sweet words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”