A friend of mine has a great sense of humor but has no filter when discussing her life. Although I love her, I wouldn’t trust her with a secret. And another friend is forgetful and careless with her own things. While she is fun to be around, I wouldn’t trust her to drive my car or look after my dog.

Everyone leaves hundreds of little clues about their characters and priorities for us to observe.

When I observe a stranger picking up random trash and going out of their way to throw it in a garbage bin, I appreciate their care for the world and the greater good. When I observe someone else throwing their still-smoking cigarette butt on the ground, I decide they don’t care about their world or their fellow man. If it became necessary to rely on one of these people for something more important than trash, I would choose the former without hesitation.

“Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.” (Luke‬ ‭16‬:‭10,‬ ‭CSB)‬‬

Unlike my infrequent observations and sometimes mistaken assumptions, God sees and understands everything I do and don’t do. He knows when I am considerate of others and when I am thinking only of myself, when I am deceitful and when I am sincere, when I am selfish and when I am generous. And He is generous or stingy with me in response.

If I prove myself trustworthy to be thoughtful and generous with my meager resources, God will provide more and more for me to steward. If, on the other hand, I recklessly squander what I have, my future blessings may be redirected elsewhere.

Dear God,

Thank you for every little thing you have blessed me with. Show me how to use those blessings to glorify you and love other people. Remind me that all good things come from you so that I can appreciate and mirror your love and generosity to the world around me.