November 4

Whoever is faithful with very little will also be faithful with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. — Luke 16:10 BSB

We tend to underestimate small failures in our duties. It might seem like a small thing to miss an appointment, lose our temper, say an angry or impatient word, show an unkind attitude, speak negatively about someone, or treat another person with disrespect. We often believe that as long as we’re honest, faithful, and loving in the big things, these little slip-ups don’t matter much.

But we never truly know the consequences of even the smallest failure.

These little mistakes hurt us. They weaken our character bit by bit, making it harder for us to resist temptation the next time. They break our habit of faithfulness and make it easier to fail again in the future. In this way, we sin against ourselves when we let our guard down, even in the smallest of things.

Additionally, we have no idea what our failures might do to others who are watching. A Christian’s outburst of temper might discourage others in their spiritual journey. A minister’s failure to pay a small debt could ruin their influence over the congregation. Our little missteps could have far-reaching effects.