Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. ~Luke 16:10 (NIV)
Normally, I will include relevant scripture within a post rather than open with scripture but today is a little different. Today, this scripture is more than relevant; it’s significant. This particular verse is very literal to me ~ I believe it applies to money, to relational commitments and to responsibility. It’s applicable to life.
- If I can’t trust my teenager to help with chores, how can I trust him/her with the car on Friday night?
- If you routinely stretch the truth, how will anyone be able to trust you when your integrity is questioned?
- If we spend money haphazardly, how can someone trust us to adhere to a strict budget?
- If I can’t trust a “silly” promise from a loved one, how can I trust them to keep a big commitment?
Makes sense, right? Build trust with the little things and gain trust with the big things.
Well, not everyone agrees. Sometimes people think the little stuff is minimal and they write off the importance…and maybe I should lighten up and think along those lines but it just doesn’t make sense to me. I can’t reason it out in my head. Reasonably speaking, it seems concise and clear and true that whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.
But others disagree.
And I’m bummed.