Can I Be Trusted With Much?

Today, I’m asking myself whether I can be trusted with much. Do I look at a subset of gifts God has given me and determine that they are the only ones God cares about, or do I include all of the blessings and attributes of my existence to serve God? I think I have a tendency to pick and choose.

Luke 16:10: “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.”

This Bible verse has been set before me for some time. It reminds me that God has given me many things, not just skills. He has given me relationships, experiences, knowledge, wealth, power, privilege, and authority. None of these are world-beaters. My sphere of influence is limited. Still, they are gifts from God to be used for God.

Trust

It brings to mind the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30). Each servant did not receive the same amount, but each according to their ability. My gifts are shaped by what God has in store for me. Everyone is different. Each of us has a different basket of goods. Yet each of us is charged with using what we are given to advance God’s kingdom on Earth.

We will all have to stand before Christ and give an account of how we used what we were given. That occasion will not be about wealth or position; it will be about how we gained and used influence.

Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Some years ago, I had an epiphany about purpose. I always valued purpose as a calling, a job, a task, or perhaps a position. It was, more or less, tangible, with a clear objective or endpoint. The activity shifted as the season of my life changed, but the core objective stayed the same. Then it dawned on me: purpose was about influence. As I developed, my sphere of influence grew.

Gaining Influence

It didn’t matter which tasks or authority I was trusted with; the goal was the same, to increase my sphere of influence. what it wasn’t about using a job or position to expand God’s Kingdom. It was about using the influence I had gained from that job or position to expand His Kingdom.

2 Corinthians 5:20, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”

I can gain influence through almost any activity. Let’s say I’m an introverted programmer in my industry. I love solitude, head down, writing code. I don’t want advancement or authority. That is God’s gifting to me. But if I become an exceptionally skilled programmer, other programmers might seek me out for advice; I have influence. That influence might start with advising on code, but it eventually extends to other non-work activities. Do I then use that influence to expand God’s Kingdom? That is the critical question. Not: Did I become the best programmer around? But: Did I use the platform given to me to advance God’s Kingdom?

Dishonesty

The second part of that verse is chilling. If I do not use the influence God has given me, am I being dishonest with God? I’m afraid the answer is yes. My influence may wane, and I may fall short of what God intended. I do not get to live the robust life God planned for me.

Everything God has given you can be used to expand your influence, which, in turn, should be used to expand His Kingdom.

Romans 10:14-15, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? How can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”