“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” Luke 16: 10

One of the passages of the New Testament which challenged my understanding for years is the Parable of the Shrewd Manager. Apart from the key lesson of the priority of a Christian we can learn from that parable, we can also learn the lesson of diligence.

In Luke 16:10, Jesus said that 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. Many of us have the habit of neglecting small beginnings because we are looking for great achievements. But Jesus is teaching us in this verse that no one will give us the opportunity to achieve great things if we cannot take handle or take good care of small things. One example of the servant of God who was diligent in his small beginning was David.

The great David, known as the King of Israel, was once a shepherd (1 Samuel 16:11). King David who protected the Israelites against their enemies used to protect sheep against lions or bears (1 Samuel 17:34). The same David who wrote the largest book of worship (Psalms) used to play the harp for Saul (1 Samuel 16:23). One remark we can make from the story of David is that even after he had received his anointing from Samuel to become King, he did not leave his sheep or stop playing harp. He had continued taking care of his small things until the opportunity to take the power at the palace came.

The second element of David's diligence is noticed in his capacity to put his life at risk to defend a simple sheep against lions and bears. David had been able to fight Goliath and the enemies of Israel not only because of his anointing from God but because of his experience with the lion and bear that attempted to eat his sheep. That was one evidence he shared with King Saul to convince him that he could handle Goliath and eventually defeat him (1 Samuel 17:34-36).

Today, it is not rare to find Christians willing to get to the top quickly and getting noticed for exploits right away. They therefore overlook the law of process and its underlying principle of small beginnings. Diligence in handling small beginnings with persistence and perseverance is what takes humble people to heights.