Can you be trusted in small matters? (Luke 16:10-11)

I asked students in Grades 1-5 at the beginning of class time this week if they can be trusted. I told them the Scripture and then posed a few questions. If they volunteered, they could take responsibility for something small. Students raised their hands and even jumped up for this chance to prove their grit.

I had 7 stuffed animals including a few Beanie Babies with tags and 2 Finding Nemos! I hugged these small stuffed animals to my chest and asked again, “Can I trust you to take care of these animals during class today? Will you be sure not to pull on them, break the tags or get them dirty? You won’t let your friends play with them during class, will you? Will you bring them back to me at the end of class in good condition?”

Students said they could do it. One student said that he didn’t think he could take on this responsibility! So my student helper, Jessica, helped me hand out the stuffed animals to students. After all were given out, I asked the next question. “Do you think that you can take on a greater responsibility? You have the opportunity to trade up. Will you take it? I have 2 statues. One statue is my favorite and patron, Saint Francis of Assisi. I really like this statue that I keep in my office. I even went to Assisi, Italy, to visit his basilica and walked on the same ground that he did. I really don’t want anything to happen to it. I would be very sad if it got bumped on your table and fell. I also have a beautiful angel who is playing a flute. She could break if she fell, too. If you have a stuffed animal already, do you want to trade up? So Jessica and I picked 2 students to take a greater responsibility.

All stuffed animals and statues were returned in excellent condition! This was a great way to experience small and great responsibility for students. They were very excited to try and also that they could bring them back, safe and sound!

Then we talked quickly about the upcoming Gospel, the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Lazarus laid at the rich man’s gate suffering with a disease and really needed help. The Rich Man just stepped over him as he went into his house. Both men died, one went to Heaven and one went to Hell. The kids could guess who went to where and why. We talked about the people who are in need right around us and how we might not ‘see’ them and step right over them. We talked about how God gives us gifts to make the world a better place and we don’t want to waste them!

In the bulletin’s short Scripture Focus, I asked our families to think about how simple it can be to be a good disciple.

Small…

Start small. Jesus tells us today that a person who can be trusted in small matters can be trusted in big ones. The person who is dishonest in small matters is dishonest in big ones. So start small. Don’t worry about doing great big things but just do the right thing in your everyday activities and interactions. You won’t have to worry about getting off track! St. Mother Theresa and St. Therese of Lisieux would agree. Do small things with great love and you can’t go wrong!