Sometimes it pays to sweat the small stuff. Because being faithful with little things can bring big results.
In the 1980s, Van Halen was the world’s biggest rock band, and their touring contract required M&Ms in their dressing rooms. But there was a catch: The concert promoter had to remove all the brown M&Ms before the band arrived.
People thought this demand was excessive, but it was really ingenious. You see, the band’s high-powered lighting system required venues to do special electrical wiring. If the electrical service wasn’t set up just right, it could cause a dangerous accident on stage.
The band’s manager wanted a way to quickly determine whether a concert promoter had met these important specifications when the tour arrived at a new venue. So he created the brown M&M requirement as a test. If the promoter had been careful with the candy bowl, he had probably been careful with the electricity. But if the manager found brown M&Ms in the dressing room, he knew there might be danger waiting on stage.
A similar thing happens in our financial lives. God looks at the way we handle small amounts of money to test us for more important things.
Here’s something Jesus told his followers in Luke 16:10-11 —
If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?
When you’re in a financial predicament, it can be difficult to see the bigger story. So I want to highlight some principles from this scripture to help give you some perspective.
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Now, back to the topic at hand:
To get your financial live moving in the direction of freedom, it’s important to pay attention to details that can seem insignificant. Here are three principles from Jesus’ teaching in Luke that emphasize this point.
1) Difficulties lead to development.
You probably wish you had more money. But God gives us little things to see if He can trust us with big things. This moment of little is an opportunity for you to demonstrate that you can be trusted with more. If you handle what you have responsibly, God will bring more blessing your way.
2) Decisions lead to destinations.
The little things you do repeatedly make you who you are and shape your future. If you’re irresponsible with your money in little ways, it’s going to hold you back from the freedom God wants for you. So make good decisions, even when they seem inconsequential.
3) Disciplines lead to destiny.
Jesus says something important here: The way we handle worldly wealth will determine whether God can trust us with heavenly riches. Your financial decisions don’t just affect your quality of life — they affect your relationship with God and your opportunities to make a difference in the world.
On your journey to financial freedom, there will be moments when the sacrifices seem too difficult and you feel like you’re not making any progress. When those moments come, remember: they’re like brown M&Ms. If you pass this test, you can expect a much brighter future.
