By: Reverend Frank I. Williams

Are you ready for the Word! 

“He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.” Luke 16:10

Previously I defined success as accomplishing that which you were born to do, and this success begins with being faithful and generous in helping other people to be successful.  In the verse above, Jesus gives yet another principle of success.  He introduces us to the principle of promotion. 

When we are assigned “small” or menial tasks to do, we must realize that in those tasks is the pearl of promotion.  Promotion begins with faithfulness in the assignments you have been given right where you are.  I have observed a type of impatience in our culture.  People desire to become an overnight success, but are reluctant put in the work.  This it is often short lived, because sensation without substance is not true success.

Sometimes in the youthfulness of young adult life one may operate with an air of entitlement when it comes to work.  They want to start at the top.  Certain tasks are not for them.  Salary must be compatible with those who have been there long before. We must rediscover the value of smaller beginnings and wait for our success to mature in the incubator of faithfulness.  By the way, when I talk about faithfulness I am not just referring to consistency.  Faithfulness is competent consistence – meaning doing what you do consistently well, and doing well, consistently. 

Jesus gives even more insight from this verse.  He is warning us to be careful to watch how we operate in small things.  Our way of operating in what may be considered “least” tasks don’t really change with “great” tasks.  Our professionalism, patience, and productivity are honed in the “least” before we arrive at the “much.”  If we are unfaithful or unjust in the “least”, the same will carry when and if we arrive at “much.”  And if we get to the “much” (the greater tasks and responsibilities) too soon, we can compromise our potential for success if we have not learned to be faithful.  Pre-mature arrivals to the “much” must be surrounded by wise counsel. 

The way Jesus communicates about faithfulness in Luke 16 is more than just the behavior of an individual it is the character of that individual.  You may not be where you want to be right now, but you are on a path, a journey with many stops on the way.  I recently heard motivational speaker Anthony Robbins say, “life doesn’t happen to you it happens for you.”  Be faithful right where you are and when the time is right your “least” will graduate to “much,” because God will use your faithfulness to elevate you.  Think on these things.