The Teachings of Jesus in Luke: Faith

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. ~ Luke 17:5-6
None of us knows what might happen even in the next minute, yet still we go forward. Because we trust. Because we have Faith. ~ Paolo Coelho, Brida


It's hard to pinpoint exactly what Jesus is telling his disciples here. Does he think their faith is less than a mustard seed? Or does he think that it doesn't matter the size of their faith?

 But not much before this, what did Jesus compare the Kingdom of God to?

 A mustard seed.

 Which is pretty small. And also pretty aggressive.

 By the point of these verses, Jesus knows his disciples pretty well. He's seen their faith falter and he's seen it soar.  He's seen them waver in their faith and he's seen them plunge in head first with their faith.

 What if faith isn't a thing we can measure cognitively or biologically? Unlike something we can touch or hold onto, what if it isn't something that grows or shrinks?

 What if it isn't something that belongs more to theologically trained people or people seen as close to Jesus?

 What if it is something that aggressively won't give up on us?

 What if faith it is simply reaching out over and over again to Jesus when it feels as if your faith is faltering? What if it simply the state of being that is sometimes hard, and sometimes not as hard.

 What if it is simply remembering? Remembering we are forgiven. Remembering who we are: children of God?

 Faith manifests itself in many different ways in the gospels by many different people. One of the most touching examples of it for me is in the gospel of Mark, when a father, grateful for Jesus' healing of his son, simply says: Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.

 I believe. Help my unbelief.

 Is their anything more honest than that?

 There will be days when faith is easy. There will be days when it is hard. But either way, Jesus is there beckoning: there reminding us who we are. Who we belong to. 

 And on those days when it is hard, Jesus invites us to lean in on the faith of others. Eventually we may be called to do the same.
Prayer: Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. Amen


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