We’re about a month into the new year — are you still doing your resolution? Really?
It may seem like a small deal to not keep up on your resolution, but it may be an indication of something larger according to Jesus. In Luke 16:10, Jesus talks about the power of being faithful in the small things, and the impact that this commitment can have on the bigger picture of your life:
“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.”
We often think of New Year’s resolutions as an opportunity to make a positive change in our lives, but more than 80 percent of people who make these resolutions stop committing to them within three months. You might not think that you cutting out the second cup of coffee has anything to do with your spiritual health, but Jesus looks at your heart, not your outward performance. He is looking for you to be trustworthy and faithful in your small commitments, so you will be trusted with more.
The power of self-control
As Christians, we are meant to have self-control. We are not a slave to our bodies or the temptations that come our way; we are given new life. The power of the resurrected Jesus pumps through our veins. We do not have to give in to weakness and we do not have to fall short of our personal goals.
The virtue of self-control is mentioned in both the old and new testaments a lot. Because there is power in self-control. There is power when we choose what betters us over our old habits. There is power in remaining faithful in the small things, so we can set the habit of faithfulness when God gives us larger things.
Now, all this is not to say that Jesus demands perfection. He never has and He never will. Thank the Lord (literally) for that. But, it is to say that we should continue to strive for faithfulness and self-control. Let us make it our prayer that Jesus will give us the strength to be faithful in the small things, so we can be faithful stewards of the bigger things He has in store for us.