PASTOR RYAN LADEN – DEVOTIONALS
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In our last two devotionals, we have looked at two different teachings on how the Lord leads us into places of maturity and strength through a process of incremental improvement. We do not simply wake up one morning and find ourselves patient, content, and free from all worry and anxiety. Instead, the Lord leads us out of these trials and hardships one step at a time. Today, we are going to expand on this principle by listening to a teaching from Jesus Christ that speaks to our need to be faithful in the little things.
10 “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. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
(Luke 16:10-12 NIV11)
Matter?
Do the little things really matter? We have been counseled by many well-meaning people to not sweat the small stuff in life and spend more time focusing on the big picture items that are before us. Certainly, there is much to be praised in this way of looking at life with perspective and focus. We can certainly get lost in the minutia of all that is before us if we are not careful.
But if we were to really think about this message from our Lord, we might begin to see that the little things matter more than we once thought. Let’s look at this teaching one section at a time.
“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
As we think about the meaning of this teaching, it is important to suspend what we think about the small things in life, and focus on the fact that the Lord is communicating his own perspective on all we encounter during our daily life.
To the Lord, integrity is not measured by the size of the situation. Whether we are managing miniscule amounts of money or the national budget, our integrity in all of these situations matters to God.
“So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” – Luke 16:11
Money is a weird concept. We ascribe value to coins, paper, or digital images on a screen, and we all agree to treat these made-up values as important. But if we were to be marooned on an island with nothing but currency to eat and drink, we would soon discover that it has no value.
Jesus is challenging the Christian man and woman to see that if we cannot be honest and trustworthy with that which is made up and intrinsically valueless, then what leads us to think that we will be any different with something of real and lasting value?
The important takeaway from this message can be summed up as…
Faithful in all things means all things.
“And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?” – Luke 16:12
Faithfulness is a reflection of our heart.
If we are not seeking faithfulness to the Lord in all areas of life and in all of the various circumstances in which we find ourselves, then we are not going to be very useful in the Kingdom of God.
The Lord wants to us all who are willing to be used. Your value to the Lord is not measured by your status, wealth, physical beauty, or social standing. All who are willing to seek faithfulness to God will find themselves being used by the Lord to create eternal value.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, today I want to dedicate myself to being faithful to you in all that comes my way. Help me to see that all people, all situations, and all opportunities to bring you glory and praise are equally important in your eyes. I need your Holy Spirit to lead me and guide me as I seek faithfulness to you today.
In Christ,
Ryan Laden
PASTOR RYAN LADEN
Senior Pastor at PARK HILL BAPTIST CHURCH
Worked at MTN. CHURCH
Former Senior pastor at Warnbro Community Church
Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
Studied at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
Studied at Baylor University
Studied at Texas Tech University
Went to Castle Hills First Baptist
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