If Only: Faith Like a Mustard Seed!

Thursday morning, January 31, 2008
This is what Jesus said to the apostles in response to their request for Him to increase their faith: “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you. But which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down and eat’? But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me until I have eaten and drunk; and afterward you will eat and drink’? He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’” Hmmm! I think I understand the apostles’ question and I also think I have some (not much, but some) insight into the first part of Jesus’ answer, but what in the wide-world does the second part of His answer have to do with faith, especially increasing faith?
In the first place, the context of this question is important: “Be on your guard! If you brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him” (vs.3-4). In light of this, I can easily see why they asked Jesus to increase their faith; otherwise, they would never live up to this requirement. If “faith” and “trust” are kin folk (relatives), then I have no problem understanding their request for more faith! I mean, this is a pretty tall order: if your brother sins against you seven time a day (with the implication being for several days in a row!) and comes to you each time, asking for your forgiveness, then forgive him (note that nothing is said about the gravity of any of the offenses!). What else could they have said but, “Lord, increase our faith (if you expect us to obey this!)”!
Jesus’ initial response (“If you had faith like a mustard seed . . “) is really not too difficult to understand. Notice that He did NOT say, “If you had faith as small as a mustard seed. . .”; instead, He said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed. . .”, which in my opinion is somewhat different. Yes, we know that a mustard seed is a very small seed (about 1mm in diameter) but the size of one’s faith is not Jesus’ point. His point is this: Even when our faith, like a mustard seed, is infinitesimally small (which is most of the time), even smaller than a mustard seed, we can expect these small seeds of faith to produce incredible results. In other words, the fact that you have faith is enough, more than enough to enable you to forgive your brother seven times a day for seventy days, or more, if need be.
You see, if we have any faith at all, it is His faith, not ours, and this means that we have all faith, the kind of faith that moves not only mulberry trees, but also mountains, the kind of faith that enables us to believe the absolutely unbelievable—Jesus died that we might live in perfect relationship with Him, glorify Him, and enjoy Him for ever! Just for the record, it is much easier to believe that a mulberry tree will respond to our command and uproot itself and replant itself in the sea, than it is to believe that life is in Jesus. Well, it is until—until He gives you the faith to believe and, then, you can do no other because His faith ALWAYS produces His desired results!
If you had faith like a mustard seed. . .! Listen up: YOU DO, if you are His!



(Because I am out of space, I will continue tomorrow, if He gives me something to say! If ONLY I had faith like a mustard seed!! (=: