Faithful in Little

Luke 16:10 - "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."

This truth that the Lord Jesus speaks of is illustrated for us in the parable that Christ told of the talents in Matthew 25. In that passage three servants were entrusted with something small that belonged to their master while their master was on a journey. Two of the slaves were faithful with what was entrusted to them, and the response of their master was - "Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master." He entrusted them with a little and they showed themselves faithful with it, and thus they were entrusted with more. The Bible says in Colossians 3:23 - "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men." You may feel like the work that God has lead you to right now is insignificant, but even menial, seemingly insignificant tasks can be done for Gods glory. I don't know what God has entrusted to you at this time, but I do know that He expects and in fact requires your faithfulness in it. Too many of us as believers are praying for Gods guidance in our lives and asking Him to use us in some great way, but the fact is if we're not faithful in the little things right now then we have no right to expect something greater. He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much.

As a general rule in the Scriptures we often see God using those who are already working. By and large we see examples of those who are being faithful in small things being called by the Lord to serve in bigger ways and being entrusted with more. When the Lord called Moses from the burning bush he was herding sheep. A menial and seemingly insignificant task, but though it was a little thing he was faithful in it, and while he was being faithful in this small thing God called him to be the one who would shepherd His people Israel out of their bondage in Egypt.

When the Lord called Gideon he wasn't of a great family or a great tribe, but he was working. As Israel was living in fear of the Midianites, living in dens and caves, Gideon went into the wine press in order to thresh wheat. Again, a small task but one that he was faithful to do, and as he was threshing wheat the angel of the Lord appeared to Him and revealed to Him that he was the one whom the Lord would use to deliver Israel from the Midianites.

When Samuel was sent to anoint a king for Israel he came to the house of Jesse in order to anoint one of his sons whom God had chosen to be king. Seven of his sons passed before Samuel but the Lord had not chosen any of these. Where was Gods anointed? God had chosen the youngest son who was out in the fields tending the sheep. When Samuel was sent to anoint David he was the only one of all his brothers who was working, and he is the one whom God chose to be king. Contrast this with the account of Saul being chosen by the people as their king. When Saul was going to be anointed as king he was found hiding among the baggage. When David was to be anointed king he was found in the fields working.

When Israel was living in exile under the king of Assyria and the decree was issued which allowed the Jews to return home, Nehemiah was faithfully serving the king as his royal cup bearer. When the report came to Susa that Jerusalem was in ruins Nehemiah began to pray that the Lord would build up that city once again, and the Lord used Nehemiah to answer his prayer. Nehemiah had shown himself as a faithful servant before the king, and the Lord took him from serving as a cup bearer to the king to be governor of Judah and to rebuild the walls of the city of Jerusalem.

When the Lord Jesus called Peter and Andrew they were casting their nets into the sea, for they were fishermen. When Christ called James and John they were mending their nets. God called these hard working fishermen, who were faithful in their menial task of fishing for fish, to come and serve Him by fishing for men. They were faithful in little and He called them to something greater.

I don't know the task that you're called to right now, but I do know that you are called to do it as unto the Lord and not unto men. God delights in using those who are already working. We shouldn't sit around doing nothing and praying that the Lord will use us in some mighty way because that's not His pattern. If you want to be used by the Lord be faithful in the small menial tasks He has set before you right now. Be faithful in the small things, because he who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much.

1 Corinthians 4:2 - "In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found faithful."