Overview of Be Faithful In Small Things by Joel Osteen
This message is a faith-based encouragement about trusting God during seasons that feel small, slow, or unnoticed. Joel Osteen teaches that hidden years of consistency, humility, and hard work are often preparation for future promotion. Using examples like Lakewood Church’s early days, David’s shepherd years, Chinese bamboo growth, and his own behind-the-scenes service, he argues that faithfulness in ordinary seasons develops character, deep roots, and eventual “sudden” breakthroughs.
Main Message
Faithfulness before promotion
- God often starts people with small responsibilities before entrusting them with larger ones.
- The “small” season is not wasted; it is a proving ground.
- If you are not faithful where you are, you may not be ready for where you want to go.
Small beginnings are not small destinies
- Osteen emphasizes: “Don’t despise the day of small beginnings.”
- A modest start does not mean a modest future.
- What looks insignificant now may be laying the foundation for a much bigger outcome.
Delay is not denial
- Long periods without visible progress can be frustrating, but they may be part of God’s preparation process.
- The sermon repeatedly reframes waiting as spiritual development rather than stagnation.
Key Illustrations and Examples
Lakewood Church’s early years
- Joel’s father started Lakewood with about 90 people in a run-down feed store.
- For years, growth was minimal, but he stayed consistent and faithful.
- Eventually, the ministry experienced major expansion.
- The point: years of smallness prepared the way for large-scale impact.
The Chinese bamboo tree
- For years, it appears to do little above ground while roots spread underground.
- Then it suddenly grows rapidly.
- Osteen uses this as a picture of hidden development before visible success.
David in the shepherd fields
- David spent years tending sheep after already being anointed to be king.
- His promotion after defeating Goliath looked sudden, but it was built on years of quiet faithfulness.
- Lesson: private obedience prepares public victory.
Personal behind-the-scenes service
- Joel shares how he spent 17 years helping with television production and picking out his father’s clothes for broadcasts.
- Those years of unseen service prepared him for his own public role.
- He also shares examples of Victoria and faithful church members who served without seeking attention.
Career and giving example
- A young man with a marketing degree took a mailroom job and remained faithful.
- Over time, he was promoted all the way to vice president of marketing.
- Another example shows a person dropping off an offering before leaving town, demonstrating consistency in giving.
Scripture and Themes Referenced
Major biblical ideas
- Zechariah: “Do not despise the day of small beginnings.”
- Galatians: “In due season you will reap if you do not give up.”
- Proverbs 28:20: “The faithful will abound with blessings.”
- Principle: Faithfulness in little leads to trust with much.
Core spiritual themes
- Character development
- Patience in waiting
- Hidden preparation
- Stewardship
- Humility under authority
- Fruitfulness in due season
Practical Takeaways
What listeners are encouraged to do
- Stay consistent even when results are slow.
- Keep a good attitude in mundane or unrecognized work.
- Don’t complain about small assignments.
- Trust that God is building something unseen.
- Continue serving, giving, and doing your best.
- Replace discouragement with expectation.
Mindset shifts Joel encourages
- “I’m not stuck; I’m being prepared.”
- “My roots are going down deeper.”
- “My due season is on its way.”
- “Smallness is part of the process, not the end of the story.”
Closing Emphasis
The sermon ends with a strong declaration that faithfulness leads to abundance, new doors, deeper roots, and greater future blessings. Joel assures listeners that their current season of smallness is producing strength and stability for the increase that is coming. The message’s central promise is that those who remain faithful in little will eventually see God catapult them into much more.