What Does It Mean to Be Faithful in the Little Things?

We live in a world of more. How many followers can I get? How much money can I earn? How many friends can I make? In the fast paced, “Bigger is better” mentality, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and perpetually discouraged that what we do or who we are is never enough. God tells us to be faithful in the little things. The ways of the Lord teach us that we can be free in knowing that even the smaller, mundane moments can matter greatly in the kingdom of God.

Luke 6:10 says, “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." What does it mean to be faithful in the little things?

Embrace the “Today Mentality”

There is a well-known Bible verse, “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). The fact is that God gives us today. He tells us not to worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). When our thoughts are obsessively focused on the future or dwelling on the past, we miss the moment. Embracing today could mean starting your day off asking the Spirit to show you who to take notice of in your path and how to bless them.

You might be thinking, “What if I just have a lot of tasks to do and will not even interact with people?” “What if I am just watching a toddler?” Or, “What if I am doing school work?” 1 Corinthians 10:31 tells us to do everything for the glory of God. Do you know that Jesus Himself did seemingly mundane tasks? Jesus likely went to school. He learned carpentry (Mark 6:3). He probably did chores for his family. What you do matters to God. Whatever that is, honor Him with it.

Health

Our bodies are described as temples of God, this means our own bodies are places of worship. When we believe in Jesus, this means that His Spirit resides in our hearts. The seemingly unimportant daily food choices and activity choices can be ways in which we are faithful to the Lord. When you are deciding whether to eat vegetables or french fries, you have an opportunity to be faithful in health. This is not saying that there is no room for fun foods, but just in moderation.

When you decide if you should exercise or watch TV, you can ask God to help you make the better decision. When you are making choices about whether to smoke that cigarette or drink too much alcohol, think twice. These are a few ways in which we can be faithful.

Prayer

One area that I confess can seem so mundane and appear like a daily check list is prayer. However, those daily moments of inviting the Lord into the day, pleading on behalf of others, and praising God can build up to large impact in us and in others. If we can simply still our souls long enough to cry out to Christ, we can be faithful to pray in that minute or even in that hour. The regular practice of listening and speaking to the Lord might seem insignificant, but it is one of the most beautiful ways to build relationship.

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The “George Bailey Frame of Mind”

In the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” there is a main character named George Bailey. He desires to go off, do big things and see the world. However, at the unexpected loss of his father, George makes a decision to stay in his hometown. He helps save the town by this selfless choice and in the long run learns of his great impact on many lives. When we neglect where we are, we ignore the possibilities of what God could do there. When we are open to see our Lord move, He can use us to bless the communities where we live, no matter how small. We might want the world like George, but our faithfulness in the little things can change the world.

Jesus Is Greater Than Anything

As we are faithful in the smaller things, God may entrust with us more responsibilities and opportunities. It is important to know that in the event the Lord should bust open the doors to a larger impact, that He is always first. He is the one who deserves all the glory. If He should choose us to run that organization, lead that Bible study, make that sports team, or become a parent, we must be careful and watch ourselves lest we become prideful.

Isaiah 64:6 says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” We have nothing to offer the Lord. Only through the Holy Spirit can we make decisions that are like Christ. This is the greatest news that in all my insufficiencies, Jesus is more than enough.

Reap What You Sow

Do you know that you matter? Do you know that your daily decisions make an impact over time? My husband and I both made decisions as believers when we were younger to save ourselves for marriage. We valued the Scriptures on the blessing and purposes of waiting to be physically joined after our commitment under God. Those daily choices that we made before each other and with each other created a long-term reward for us.

In the same way, our faithfulness in choosing God’s ways and denying our sinful nature will produce blessing. However, Luke 6:10 warns that if we choose sin (unrighteousness) in the small moments, we will choose them in the larger ones too. Galatians 6:7 says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

With all of this, remember that the Lord loves you and wants the best for your life. When little moments come, we can be faithful to Him and then prepare ourselves to be faithful in the bigger opportunities. Never neglect the mundane decisions that we can make to honor the Lord. He sees everything. He knows our hearts. He can be honored in an interaction with one person or in front of a stadium of people. Jesus Himself is called “Faithful and True” in Revelation 19:11. May we model His perfect example of being obedient to the Father in all things, each day.

Emma Danzey’s mission in life stems from Ephesians 3:20-21, to embrace the extraordinary. One of her greatest joys is to journey with the Lord in His Scriptures. She is wife to Drew and mom to Graham. Emma serves alongside her husband in ministry, she focuses most of her time in the home, but loves to provide articles on the Bible, life questions, and Christian lifestyle. Her article on Interracial Marriage was the number 1 on Crosswalk in 2021. Most recently, Emma released Treasures for Tots, (Scripture memory songs) for young children. During her ministry career, Emma has released Wildflower: Blooming Through Singleness, two worship EP albums, founded and led Polished Conference Ministries, and ran the Refined Magazine. You can view her articles on her blog at emmadanzey.wordpress.com and check out her Instagram @Emmadanzey.