Several years ago I decided to make the habit of regular journaling. I have to admit, that I am not one that is very interested in writing down all of life’s issues or chronicling my life like some do…but I began the discipline of journaling in an effort to help me retain those little pieces of wisdom that I stumbled upon. Long ago, I heard someone tell me that learning is a life-long process: it’s not something that is done for a few years in school, and then you graduate. That charge to be a Life-Long learner, has been one that I have taken and really tried to live out.

…we must be faithful to what we have already been entrusted before we can expect more…

So several years ago I took up the discipline of daily journaling and writing. At first the discipline was difficult, and painful, but as time went on I found it more enjoyable. While I do occasionally journal extemporaneously about events and things I am going through, I typically journal in a specific format based off of my time in the Word of God. Anyone who is part of our Life Groups, knows this format, and it is one that has helped me to not only process what I am hearing as I read the bible, but also helps me to live it out.

This morning I spent some time reflecting on this past year of my life, and walk with God. I began to look through this past years worth of journal entries, and as I did, I found one that really struck me as having significance to today.

The passage of scripture was Luke 16:10, which says:

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.”

As I look at every area of my life today I find so much personal application to this important truth. See often times, we are so focused on getting more: more responsibility at work, more financial resource, more things, more prominence in our given field. We live in a very commercialized and consumer driven culture, and that tends to rub off on every aspect of our thinking. It creates, as sociologists say, a Paradigm of Prominence. I would call it an attitude of self-centeredness.

See we must be faithful to what we have already been entrusted before we can expect more. When success comes to our lives & ministries, moral failure always waits at the door to pounce on us. We must prepare ourselves now, and setup the guardrails in our lives to ensure we stay the course: that we stay faithful to all that God has called us to do. Graduation to something newer, better or greater comes only following our consistent demonstration of faithfulness and obedience to “the little” that we are called to do now.

Integrity is of more importance than positions or possessions.

This simple truth is meant not to be a formula for riches. It’s not a pattern to get rich quick. It is simply a truth to allow us to be content with where we are, and with what we have. Integrity is of more importance than positions or possessions. This simple piece of truth finds application in so many areas of our lives:

In Financial Matters. The desire for more finances is not a new one. In the place our world and national economy is in, more and more people today find themselves struggling to ‘make ends meet.’ Be faithful and content in the little that you do have now, and learn to make the most of it now. The integrity you posses when you have little, will be magnified and intensified when you get more. This is particularly true of our giving to the Lord; sometimes when we find ourselves down and out, we say “I just can’t afford to give to God,” when in reality, your faithfulness “in the little” is the key to how faithful you would be if God did bless you with more.

In ministry. Wanting to do bigger and bigger things for the Lord is an admirable thing to desire. Only be faithful with what you are doing right now: don’t worry about what you ‘want to do tomorrow.’ simply serve God in the area you are currently, and seek first His Kingdom. Sometimes we say “If only I was in that role…then I would give it my all.” Not all are called to be the Billy Grahams for the Kingdom…but all are called to be faithful to whatever role, position or ‘part’ we are supposed to fill. To God, our obedience and integrity are more important than any thing we can do. It’s not about how much we do it’s about how faithfully we do it (especially when no one else is looking).

In all things. We need to learn to be content with those things we do have, and not constantly be looking to what we don’t have. As the old adage goes: Has life given you lemons? Make Lemonade.

Be faithful in the little this week. Try it. It’s harder than it sounds, but the dividends are incredible.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 2:30 pm and is filed under Blog, Faith. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.