How To Be A Faithful Family in Little Things [Plus 5 Questions To Consider]

7 ways to help your family develop the characteristic of faithfulness

Believe it or not, we live in a time where faithfulness is almost non-existent. In fact, the most thriving characteristic of the human race is not faithfulness or righteousness but rather selfishness and often indifference. 

Have you noticed the same thing?

In Luke 16:10 Jesus made an interesting statement.  He said: “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”

Though he used the example of servanthood, yet, this same principle is definitely applicable to all areas of life.

Notice how he used the word “unjust” or “unrighteous” as an antonym for faithful.  This is a very interesting position. 

Though I won’t dissect this verse, yet suffice it to say that “faithlessness” is the act or the position of unrighteousness.  Just think about it or research it for 60 seconds and you’ll see it.

Here are 5 questions my wife and I worked through and continue to live by. 

We’ve also asked these questions (in different ways) to our four children.  

These questions are very important to consider but then they must learn what they are, what they mean and how to implement them or live by them. 

1.  Are you trustworthy?

2.  Can others count on you?

3.  Do you want to know how to be original and authentic in a culture of copycats?

4.  Do you want others to follow your example?

5.  Are you a person of your word?

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You see, these are not just mechanical questions to apply when need be – these are principles and characteristics that will eventually become part of you.

So, if you want your marriage and your family to learn to live by what these questions represent, then you must become a person who is faithful; you know - a person who follows through.  The individual others can count on whether things are rough or smooth. 

In other words, your word is good on the little stuff as well as in the difficult and inconvenient tasks. 

This human is the kind of person who promises to call–and does so–on time.  He says he’ll do it and he does it–exactly as you have asked for it to be done.
 
Are you known as a faithful person? 

If you are, then here are a few of the words that can be used to describe you:  Trustworthy, dependable, reliable, true-blue, responsible, constant, and devoted.   

In the same vein, you have the insinuated word in Luke 16:10 of “righteous”.  If you’re a righteous person, have a righteous marriage and a family the operates righteously, then it could be that you are: moral, good, just, blameless, upright, honorable, honest respectable, decent and yes, faithful.

All of these names are saturated with one recurring theme, character. 

Character quietly, yet convincingly says:  “you can count on me – at any cost, without strings attached! “ 

You see, character is what you are in the dark–when nobody sees you. 

Character says that you are disciplined enough to be considerate, polite, mannered, a person of your word, a person of quality, one who others want to imitate, one who eventually makes a difference even without trying hard, one who is faithful.

"Character is what you are in the dark–when nobody sees you." -Alex Colon   

Faithfulness.  Strange, isn’t it that such a simple thing would be in such short supply?

Mother Theresa once said:  “We are called upon not to be successful but to be faithful.”

Faithfulness is not something you just decide to do or become in a matter of seconds, customize a plan of action and you’re done.  No! 

Faithfulness takes time to develop.  It’s a constant confrontation with life’s trials.

Let put it another way.

Today, our oatmeal and many microwave ready foods are ready to eat in 60 seconds; our pictures can be developed in 60 minutes (you think that’s a long time?  Remember those days when you had to drop off your 35mm roll at the camera shop and pic it up in two days?  Yeah! ) and our houses can be built in 60 days. 

We are a culture that is used to getting what we want instantly.  We aren’t accustomed to working patiently, or waiting on anything – even a hamburger or fries – not to mention the making of a milkshake. Ugh! 

“It’s the 21st century!  People need to be more efficient” – many say.

I meet a lot of people who desire to have more responsibility and move up the ladder of success.  In fact, most people do.  Many of them, however, want to jump to the top of the ladder rather than climb it. 

They want to be impressed with their talent and their skills of charm and persuasion rather than with their character and faithfulness.   
 
Let me give you 7 ways to help your family develop the characteristic of faithfulness.

1.  Read the Bible and apply the principles therein.


2.  Use chores or as we call them “opportunities to serve” to teach your kids how to be faithful in the little things as doing chores.  Let them know that their character is revealed in how well they do their tasks along with a good attitude – without complain or grumbling.


3.  Give your children an allowance.   Not for doing chores but just because you love them.  Let them know that their character is more important to you and to God than their obedience.  Teach them that true obedience comes from a righteous character.  


4.  Teach them to follow through on their word.  Remember when a man’s word was his bond?  That’s no longer the case but that doesn’t mean we stop living by that principle. 


5.  Teach them leadership skills and show them how to lead faithfully and not selfishly.  In other words, lead your family selflessly with vision and purpose.


6.  Teach then and Show them.  Yeah, did you think that your family will only do as you say and not as you do?  Never!  So be all that you teach them to be.  In other words, let them know and see how to be faithful even when you were treated unrighteously.


7.  Be righteous and faithful to your husband or your wife.  This is crucial to a successful marriage and a thriving family. 
 

Questions:  Are you faithful in little things or do you often seem to neglect them?   

How else can we be faithful in our marriages and in our families? 

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