“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.” (Luke 16:10 NLT)
Let your mind wander back to the day you first learned how to ride a bike. You are nervous as you hop onto the seat of your shiny new Schwinn, but you trust the adult who stands at your side. One day that adult figure running beside you will finally let go. You are either off and running or ready to face a few scrapes and bruises. Teaching a child to ride a bike can be a bonding experience that some parents might not want to miss. For the child, it is one of those occasions where they learn to appreciate the value of placing trust in another individual. Assured that even if he or she fell off the bike, that faithful adult would be there to pick them up and provide the necessary care. Perhaps that’s why Jesus identified so readily with children.
Children are characteristically humble, trusting, and therefore teachable. Jesus promoted unpretentious faith in God, and He used the innocence of a child to demonstrate His point. When He wanted to bless the children, Jesus said, “”Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14 NIV). While simple childlike faith is perhaps a good place to start, it is important for us to grow into a deeper faith hopefully leading us to a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. This only comes from an assured confidence when we know with certainty who the object of our faith is. For . . . “it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 NLT). Mature faith is characterized by conviction, not by blind belief. We are sometimes surprised by those who display this type of faith.
“When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, ‘Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.’ Jesus said, ‘I will come and heal him.’ But the officer said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed…’ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, ‘I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, ‘Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.’ And the young servant was healed that same hour” (Matthew 8:5-13 NLT).
Identifying oneself as a member of ‘the faithful’ can easily create circumstances where individuals are included or excluded by the self-righteous. In The Message translation of verse 12 (above), a profound statement is made: “Then those who grew up ‘in the faith’ but had no faith will find themselves out in the cold, outsiders to grace and wondering what happened.” Of course, Jesus was speaking here of the religious elite who would have classified themselves as dutifully practicing their faith. Consider the possibility of how many persons might have been raised in the faith but show no conviction. Just remember, “People may be right in their own eyes, but the LORD examines their heart” (Proverbs 21:2 NLT). When we are tested by circumstances that to us seem out of control, God will acknowledge those who are truly faithful. With just a little faith, great things can happen. For whenever you give your faith to Jesus, it’s like riding a bike . . . you never forget. All it takes is a simple trust in Him.
REFLECTION: Can you think of examples where you have been surprised by individuals whom you thought were strong in their faith but did not demonstrate it in times of crisis? In what specific ways might you serve as a positive example by exercising a simple trust in God today? How can you help those who might be doubtful in understanding that faith begins with small steps that become affirmed over one’s lifetime?
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