“He that is faithful with little is faithful also with much, and he that is unjust with little is also unjust with much.” —Luke 16:10 (Jubilee Bible 2000)
The “little” can represent lots of different elements in life: drinking enough water, eating healthy food, clutter around the house, exercising, getting to sleep at a decent hour, etc. These things may seem insignificant sometimes, especially when we say “I’ll take care of it tomorrow” or “Just this once,” which can easily turn in to unhealthy habits.
The “big” is more likely to stand out in our lives, like job changes, moving homes, marrying, having/raising children, changes in schooling, or starting a business, among many other things.
The “little” things have a big impact on the “big” things in our lives. For example, if we don’t drink enough water, we are quickly dehydrated. If we don’t get to sleep at a decent hour, we are not as productive the following day.
For me, the faithfulness in the little things includes my self-talk, how I think of and describe myself. We can speak to ourselves in many ways, but if we are not careful, we can succumb to negative thoughts that lead to a destructive, vicious cycle. I consider this being unjust to ourselves and it can be compounded forward and become unjust to the world. If you’re not faithful to yourself about your own talents, no one will recognize that you have them. Part of our responsibility in living a godly life is to use our God-given talents to bless the world. Some might say this is a “calling”.
Our self-talk is almost constant, and if I chip away at myself, I find I have trouble accomplishing the “big” things. How we talk to and about ourselves can be reflected in how we relate to others. When coaching kids, I make it my personal mission not only to provide a positive experience, but also to affirm kids verbally and in the way I treat them. This is also the way I try to train others who work with me. My affirming words might be the only positive experience these kids have the whole week. And I have to be faithful in that. I know what it’s like, as a kid, not to have anyone say something nice, especially when there is negativity, violence, or abuse at home.
So, this verse has been on my mind for the past several weeks, maybe even months. When I have a thought, I’ve noticed I have to act within 3-5 seconds or my mind comes up with endless reasons not to do it. If the thought terrifies me, I probably need to do it if there’s a chance this will bless others. If I do not act on that thought, I’ve missed that opportunity. The more we tune-in to it, the more we’ll hear it. Maybe this is our conscience, maybe this is the voice of God.
I’ve spent a lot of time hiking in SoCal mountains and the John Muir Trail (JMT), as well as in Colorado. On my trek across the entire JMT a couple summers ago, my hiking buddy and I came across an older gentleman hiking the JMT by himself. While our paths crossed only briefly, we learned he was short on food supplies and was several days out from his next food-pickup. My buddy and I were about three days ahead of schedule, and had more than sufficient rations, so we quickly offered and gave him food. The little thing of us planning and packing enough could have saved this man’s life. Our “little” thing was a “big” thing for him.
What does it mean to be faithful in your life? What’s a “little” thing in which you can start being more faithful in your life and the lives of others? Do you need to be more faithful in your self-talk? Your health? Or how you relate to others? Choose to be faithful now. Little moments make up our lives. The ways that we live, engage, and communicate, make up our lives. Be faithful to these moments—you can’t ever get them back.
Joseph Feiler is a husband and a father, and happens to be the owner of Fit 2 Be Free (an adventure wellness company), the head coach of La Sierra Sports Acrobatics, the owner of Feiler Tax Relief, and is currently pursuing his MBA at La Sierra University.