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. (Lk 16:10)

When I was younger, my father used to scold me for being ignorant to details. For example, I would wring a wet cloth just a bit and put it at the edge of our kitchen sink. But Dad pointed out to me that I should wring it as dry as possible and hang it up so that the cloth could dry quicker and the next person could use it. Small things matter indeed.

Yet we often tend to forget or comfortably ignore small matters, both in our interaction with others and with God. We think that it doesn’t really matter as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone. Sometimes we may tell a little white lie just to avoid having to accept that colleague’s dinner invitation. Every now and then, we might just gossip a bit about brother A and sister B. Maybe we decide to skip a Sabbath service in order to go to a special event that’s only held once a year.

Deep inside, we probably know that God is unhappy with our actions, but we tell ourselves that God surely won’t be that strict as long as we don’t commit a great sin; after all He understands and forgives our little weaknesses. But is that really the case?

If God didn’t care about small matters, why would He stop Moses and Aaron from entering Canaan just because they struck the rock at Kadesh, instead of speaking to it (Num 20:1-12)? Why would He reward us even for sharing a cup of cold water with the least of our brethren?

God Himself is faithful (Deut 7:9; 1 Cor 1:9), Christ was faithful (Heb 3:1-2), and He wants His children to be faithful too (Rev 2:10). When we take a closer look into the Scriptures, we discover that faithfulness entails being meticulous in carrying out God’s commandments—a reflection of His will.

In fact, if we are faithful to God in the least, we show our trust in His words and a high regard towards God. So Dad was right indeed: small things matter—even to God.

            His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ (Mt 25:21)

Questions for Reflection

1.      What are the small matters in your life where you tend to ignore God's word?

2.      How can you be more faithful to God's word?