Degrees

How strong is your 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. "Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, `Come here at once and take your place at the table'? Would you not rather say to him, `Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink'? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, `We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!'" - Luke 17:5-10

When Jesus is asked to increase the faith of his disciples, he reprimands them.  He tells them it is not the amount of faith that they need.  Any amount would move mountains.

So what is he saying to them, that they have no faith?

He tells them a parable of sorts, putting them in the position of a slave owner who demands what is expected of his slave, seeing his service as the minimum, rather than something special.

So it is with us.  If we follow the commandments as we are supposed to do, what is so special about that?  Just because so many of us have a hard time keeping them, it doesn't make us special if we do.

So, how does that equate to our faith?

I think Jesus is using this example to show us that our faith comes in degrees.  Perhaps we expect more than we should from our faith. 

If it really doesn't take much to perform miracles, then how little we must have if we don't.  Or maybe it is a matter of confidence.

Do we truly trust in the Lord, or are we just doing what is expected?  We go to church, we say our prayers, we wait for answers and we feel no one is listening.

But what else can we do?

Jesus told his disciples to act as if their prayers are already answered, to go in faith and live as though nothing can harm you.

Why not?

What have we got to lose, that we won't already lose at some point?

I believe the message is to go without fear, regardless of the circumstances.  I know someone who has cirrhosis of the liver.  He has had five tumors removed in five operations.  He continues to drink because he can't live with the tremors when he stops.  He knows his condition is terminal, but he lives on, doing what he can to make it through the day.

Is he a man of faith?

I think he is one Jesus walks with.  Something is keeping him going.  Even though he will not be cured, he could be healed.

That is what faith does.  It heals us and gives us strength.

So, tell the tree to go to the sea, and see what happens.

More to come...