Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much… If you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? Luke 16:10-12 (NIV)
Parents know that children aren’t always responsible with other people’s property. They may not take care of it and can accidentally break things if they are not paying attention. As children grow and mature, they can be trusted with more items of increased value. But it takes time for them to demonstrate that they are trustworthy first.
God owns everything. He created the world by speaking it into existence. We are on earth as caretakers of God’s property. As we mature in our walk with God, we demonstrate how much He can trust us with things. We show Him if we are lazy or diligent in our work. We show Him if we will take care of the things He entrusts to us or if we will ignore our responsibilities in providing for their care. We can spend time caring for the relationships He has placed in our lives or ignore the people He placed in our path, letting those relationships/friendships cease.
As we show God we can be trusted with the little things He gave us, He will expand the span of our care. While we may start with small things due to our immaturity in our walk with God, we can increase our responsibility as we show God we care for what He placed in our lives. The Bible tells us not to despise the small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10). We may start off with small things, but we don’t have to stay that way as we show we can be trusted.