I woke up this morning thinking about all the various small things we do and how they compound over time. I then decided to ironically title this post “All the Small Things” to try and strike a chord with my fellow enjoyers of Late 90’s/Early 2000’s Blink-182 Pop Punk music… 🎶 link
Trusted / Faithful in very little…
In the Bible, Luke 16:10 says:
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. [NIV]
10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. [ESV]
What do you think that means?
I find myself chewing on that verse every now and again. I bounce between the New International Version and also the English Standard Version.
- Do you think the interpreters were intentional in how they use “very little“? Not just little… VERY little. Like, “I trust you can tie your shoes by age 40” little. Low bar.
- On the trusted or faithful portions “can also” or “is also” stick out to me. They don’t use “may” or passive language.
- What about on the dishonest side of the verse where is says “will also be” or “is also“? Again, it denotes active language. “Will” and “Is”. It’s not conditional.
The broader context for this verse is the Parable of the Unjust Steward (Luke 16:1-9). The underlying emphasis is around Jesus’ teaching of wealth, stewardship, and faithfulness here on Earth. Can you be trusted with worldly wealth, responsibilities, etc. if not… how can you be trusted with Heavenly parallels of those same things?
When I think on that verse, I often linger on the Responsibilities aspect. I think about “Am I faithful in the little things? Can I be trusted to do even the simple, mundane things that sometimes people look over?”
I also think about “Am I dishonest in very little things?”
If I’m dishonest in very little things… wanting to be liked so I tell a small lie or let something slip because I’m sometimes insecure around people… then the bible says I will also be like that in larger situations. That’s not who I want to be, right?
There is a weightiness, a seriousness in that logical simplicity encouraging me to be trustworthy in the little things and also to be honest in even the simplest of things.
As a “leader” in my family and team at work… am I willing to be trusted in the very little?
As the “general” thinking goes
Small things add up to make a large impact.
- Would you rather get $1 million dollars or a penny a day and it doubles daily for a month? (Hint: Go with the penny)
- Letting money sit in an account and earn interest/dividends ultimately leads to a similar outcome if you’re patient.
- Be “1% better every day”
If I were to summarize “Atomic Habits” (link) into an overly simplistic explanation, it’d be something like “small, daily habits can create long-lasting impact“. That’s an oversimplification but it’s the gist I walked away with after reading it.
The point is that small things add up to both the good and the bad.
- Eating more than your body burns daily will, over time, lead to an increase in weight.
- Spending less than you make, over time, will increase your net worth.
- Saying yes to something and actually doing it, over time, builds trust.
I admit that there are edge cases… for example, dancing with my kids regularly in the living room has not made me a better dancer. Though I try, I still look like a goofy Dad with limited rhythm.
Be you.
To draw a parallel to leadership approaches, up to this point in my career I’ve had two leaders that I look up to and respect tell me pretty much the same exact thing in their own ways.
- 10+ Years ago “don’t need to copy my approach – be yourself.“
- Within last 5 years “recognize who you are. Be you.“
In both contexts, they were coaching me on leadership.
They knowingly or unknowingly were speaking to some of my insecurities and encouraging me to walk my own journey. To be myself, be bold, and not try to copy what everyone else says or someone else’s leadership style. Be comfortable on my own path.
I think about those two perspectives often when I run into the various “Leadership” type posts… “How to not micromanage“, “Good Leaders don’t use these Terms“, “Leadership is more about following & supporting than it is leading from the front“.
Sometimes reading posts like that lead me to a path of insecurity. Thinking to myself “Man… I’m missing the mark” or “How do they have all this kind of thing together?“.
Then as I chew on various situations presented or some of the “pro-tips”, I remember the balance between “Trusted in very little” and “Be you” .
Am I willing to be trusted in the very little?
Back to the thought from above “…am I willing to be trusted in the very little?”
Willing.
It comes down to “will” doesn’t it?
Some personal examples:
- Am I willing to be responsive to people in text, email, chat because they’re important <period>.
- Am I willing to be the note taker in meetings to ensure posterity for those who can’t attend or capture action items?
- Am I willing to pick up the sode can or food wrapper on the sidewalk in front of the buidling?
- Am I willing to knock out a few things around the house like squeaky doors, windshield wipers, trash in the kitchen?
Am I willing or, to the alternative, are those things “beneath” me?
There is merit to navigating your unique path even if that means doing the tactical, the basic, the things common “leadership” posts may say is beneath you or opposite of “modern successful leaders“. That doesn’t mean to not learn from them, study approaches, figure out what works for you or your team. I mean to balance it out and to keep in mind the very small things matter too.
In the end
I’ll leave you with this one question: Are you willing to be faithful or trustworthy in the very small things?
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