“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
It’s a tradition for my boys to kick off their holiday season by ringing the bell for the Red Kettle Campaign. Last weekend they spent just an hour of their time raising money for the Salvation Army and thinking of others. We watched many people, just like us, bustle in and out of the store they were stationed in front of. We realized how the boys appreciated a simple smile or a small word from the customers, amidst the chaos, even if they had nothing to donate.
An amazing thing happened…God touched our hearts through a little boy that couldn’t have been any more than three years old. He was trailing along behind his mother. She looked like she was on a quest…head up, shoulders back, eyes straight ahead. This little boy had on a pair of jeans; he looked like a little man. He was very quiet and calm, but started earnestly digging into the back pocket of those jeans without slowing down. I was curious to see what was so important in there. It was a shock when that little hand pulled out a quarter, which he simply dropped into the kettle and kept going.
The simplicity of how he deposited that quarter without looking for any acknowledgement simply astonished me. This is how we’re supposed to do things! He had an intensity in his actions to give, but didn’t need to make a big deal out of it. After he put it in the kettle, which his mother never even saw, he just kept following her with a simple grin to the boys. That was God shining through a little boy with an open heart.
The character trait for today is Dependability-fulfilling what I consented to do, even if it means unexpected sacrifice (definition from characterfirst.com).
You’re probably asking yourself how my story about the little boy goes with today’s character trait. The thing is, dependability isn’t just about checking off the items on your calendar. Most of us know we’re to keep our word and show up when we say we’re going to, even if a “better” offer comes along. That’s the simple way of describing dependability.
Now let me ask a question. Can God depend on us? We sure can depend on Him. He gave us all kinds of promises. Then, He even sacrificed His own son in order to fulfill what He consented to do. When you think about it, there’s no one more dependable. That brings me back to my question. Can God depend on us?
When we feel a nudge from Him to smile at someone, can He count on us? When we feel Him wanting us to give that “quarter” we’ve saved up, can He count on us? Is He able to depend on us to be His face, His hands, His love here on earth?
I challenge you to stop focusing on the chaos around you today, and tune into the Holy Spirit inside of you. This is when God will shine through you to touch others just like He did with that little boy for us. Look for Him in the midst of chaos. Make eye contact, smile, and have a nice word for those who are around you. Show that God can depend on us to be His blessing to others.
