What did Jesus mean by "he who is faithful in little is faithful in much?"

The disciples dismissed this parable as not applicable to them. They had no worldly resources, so the message of this parable did not apply to them. Jesus disagreed. No matter how few resources you have, be trustworthy with them, he said. Only as you get in the habit of generous, trustworthy use of resources can you be trusted with more. That habit will lead you to continue to be trustworthy, no matter how high the value of your resources. Look out for the other side of this truth. You may think that it does not make much difference how you handle the little that you have. You can cheat and mislead and squander such resources. After all, it is just unrighteous money, not worth anything. Again, Jesus emphasized, the habit you form now stays with you. Be faithful in little; you will be faithful in much. Be unfaithful in little, you will be unfaithful and unrighteous if you get the opportunity to manage many resources. If you are unfaithful in unrighteous worldly goods, no one will trust you with heavenly goods.

Trent C. Butler, Luke, Holman New Testament Commentary, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 3:263.

Some translations (e.g. NLT, LSB) clarify by "faithful in little THINGS". Even the KJV seems to capture the flavor better with "faithful in that which is least".

What translation are you using @Neostarwcc? It seems to be that "faithful in little" as you've quoted above obviously overloads with the idea that the person is "faithful in few things".

Neostarwcc said:

I usually use the ESV.

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Ah... my ESV (2016 revision) has it as:

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much."

Which to me is just barely better than "faithful in little" but not as clear as "faithful in that which is least".

Neostarwcc said:

^ Title. Was Jesus talking about how we use our spiritual gifts?

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It applies to everything, until someone doesn't want to apply it.

Then it only applies to specific things, for-that-person.

Michael Collum said:

It applies to everything, until someone doesn't want to apply it.

Then it only applies to specific things, for-that-person.

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Simple explanation, I like it when posters cut to the chase. Thank you.

Hey.. it means exactly what He said. Well if you are faithful in little things you will be faithful in major things. Then flip it. If your not faithful in small things you wont be in major things.