By C.C. Simpson
What if I gave you two choices: one million dollars right now, or a single penny that doubles in value every day for 30 days? Which option would you take? Most of us would not even pause. A million feels immediate, secure, and transformative. A penny feels disposable, barely worth the space it takes up in your pocket. But here is the hidden math: That one cent, doubled every day, would grow into more than $ 5.3 million in a month! In just the first week, it would increase, one penny, two pennies, four pennies, eight pennies, 16 pennies, 64 pennies.
But then we would experience the quiet power of what the finance industry calls “compounding.” By day 10, only $5.12. But by day 20, just over $5,000. Still not overly impressive. But in the remaining days, the growth curve explodes. What once seemed invisible suddenly becomes overwhelmingly apparent.
In the Bible’s New Testament, the apostle Paul points to a reality that relates directly to this principle of compounding: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). In the marketplace doing good, walking in integrity, practicing generosity, and staying faithful to Jesus Christ in ordinary ways rarely feels dramatic. It feels small. Hidden. Like that first single penny. Yet every act is a seed sown in God’s field, and seeds compound in ways we cannot predict.
The challenge is enduring and persevering. Paul warns: “Do not grow weary.” Why? Because weariness tempts us to quit before the harvest, the fruit of our labors. Being faithful in obscurity does not always feel rewarding. It often feels unnoticed: A kind word in a meeting no one remembers. A prayer whispered at your desk with no immediate answer. An honest report when no one is checking. Each seems forgettable. But they are not. Every choice is a seed, and Paul promises the harvest will come, in God’s time.
This runs against the culture of the marketplace. The system around us idolizes speed and scale. Quarterly profits. Fast deals. Shiny shortcuts. But the kingdom of God moves at a purposeful, deliberate pace. It treasures small beginnings, steady obedience, and the unseen faithfulness that builds quietly until, in God’s timing, it explodes with fruit beyond imagining.
Think about how this plays out in your work:
- A short conversation over coffee plants the first seed of the Gospel in someone’s heart.
- A mentor’s steady investment in one young professional can shape generations of people to come.
- A faithful pattern of generosity, compounded over decades, fuels Gospel work around the globe.
None of this looks impressive at first. They are pennies dropped into God’s economy. But left in His hands, they multiply in ways we could never manufacture. So, as Paul says, do not grow weary. Keep planting. Keep sowing. Keep doing good. Not because results come quickly, often they don’t, but because the Lord of the harvest sees, and He is faithful. Obedience always produces fruit in due season.
The marketplace will tempt you with shortcuts and instant millions. However, Jesus calls you to the penny: the daily choice of faithfulness, one small act of obedience at a time. And one day, you will see how He multiplied it into something you never could have imagined.
© 2026. C.C. Simpson is dedicated to fostering a bold and triumphant Christian faith within the global marketplace. Before becoming President of CBMC International, Chris dedicated 28 years to a distinguished career in the public sector – as a Commanding Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, and serving in the U. S. Secret Service, responsible for protecting seven American presidents and leading elite teams in complex, high-stakes international missions. With his wife Ana, Chris resides in Boca Raton, Florida.
Reflection/Discussion Questions
- Paul warns us not to “grow weary” in doing good (Galatians 6:9). Where are you most tempted to give up because results feel slow or unseen?
- How have you seen the principle of “compounding faithfulness” demonstrated in your workplace: small daily actions that eventually carry great influence and impact?
- The marketplace often celebrates speed, scale, and shortcuts. How can Christians resist those cultural pressures while practicing endurance and integrity?
- What is one “penny of faithfulness” you can commit to this week: something small, but consistent that could reap long-term fruit in God’s economy?
NOTE: If you would like to explore more on endurance in the Christian life and workplace, consider these Bible passages: Proverbs 14:23; Matthew 13:31-32; 1 Corinthians 15:58; Galatians 6:9-10; Hebrews 10:36
Challenge for This Week
Do you ever find yourself becoming “weary in well-doing,” wondering what the point of the hard work you are doing without seeing any visible results is? At such times, we need to remind ourselves of God’s promises that “our toil is not in vain in the Lord.” It also helps to have someone to encourage us when our faith is wavering.
Seek out someone this week, maybe a small group you meet with regularly, and explain about any situations at work or in your personal life that are tempting you to give up because you are growing weary in doing good. Pray for one another fervently, with earnest expectation.
