I love the CBS television show, Undercover Boss! In fact, while I was in Richardson, TX, I found myself eating at a local restaurant just across the street from an immigrant to the United States from Russia. He was on Undercover Boss working for 7-Eleven as a delivery driver with the hopes of one day owning his own convenience store. As the show progressed and he took his “trainee” out for deliveries, he corrected, taught, instilled trust between the workers in order to do the best job for the company he could possibly do. Little did he know that this “trainee” was the CEO of 7-Eleven. You can read the Dallas Morning News article about Igor Finkler and his experience on Undercover Boss here.
I love this story! In fact, when I walked across the street to the store to see if I could meet Igor, the worker’s said, “Go ahead, he is around the corner in the office…he would love to meet you.” That day, I met the man who is living his dream. One thing that Igor said that stuck with me that day was this, “I am a nobody that worked hard. My work somehow got noticed and now I am living my dream.” He then said, “I would rather push a broom sweeping up the worst filth in the United States of America than be a dignitary in my former country.” Wow! What a powerful set of statements he shared! The CEO of 7-Eleven changed Igor’s life! Igor was given his own franchise in one of the busiest areas of Richardson, TX. I guess it does pay to sweat the small stuff!
Luke, the physician/disciple of Jesus, describes Igor’s journey this way in Luke 16:10,
If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater things.
I love this! Why? Because faithful, trustworthy handling of small things builds trust with the person that is asking you to take responsibility for them and handle the issues they want completed. It is character building. It creates an ethic of dependability in and individual. Once trust is gained and dependability built, larger assignments can be given and trusted to be completed. However, the converse is also true. If dishonesty, unfaithfulness and being undependable are evident, then greater assignments will not come.
I remember when I first went to a bank to get my first loan. I went with my grandfather and my dad. We walked in to the bank and I asked for my first loan of $1000. There was one piece of paper that I filled out. What was interesting about this paper was it just had my name and the amount. It was and IOU! I didn’t even have a place to sign it. The deal was sealed with a question from the banker about repaying the amount and a handshake. That was it!
People need to return to a lifestyle of honor and being people of their word. Faithfulness is being true to your word and following through with what you say you will do. When I am trusted to do the small things and have proven myself trustworthy, then larger responsibilities come my way. I paid back the loan in full, early! What was the beginning of my credit history, with the $1000 loan, now has helped me to buy cars, houses and even start my own business. These things come from God. These larger things may show up on your job, community, family or other unseen ways. But, they are the result of being found faithful by the Omnipotent Boss. Now for the bad news…the opposite of this is true as well. If I would have been found to be untrue to my word with that $1000 loan, then I would have had a different path to redemption to take. Trust would have been abated and I would have been stuck in my own consequences of dishonesty.
My prayer is the God continues to find me faithful and keeps his hand on my life…what about you?
What are some of the little things that God entrusted you with?
How did you handle those things…faithfully or dishonestly?
What larger things are you currently handling now?
Is the ethic of dependability on display or are you being caught in the trap of dishonesty?
oneguyseyes 