And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” (Luke 17:3-5)
When the Lord talks about forgiveness, the Apostles asked the question of how to increase their faith. I find it interesting that Jesus answers their request like this:
So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” (Luke 17:6)
To review: Jesus tells us to be people of forgiveness. The Apostles ask for more faith so they can forgive more readily, and Jesus tells them to have faith ‘as a mustard seed’.
Is there more than just the fact that mustard seeds are small and our faith can be small? Maybe it’s also providing a hint how we can grow our faith, much as you grow a mustard seed plant. A quick web search provides a few tidbits related to how to grow healthy mustard seed plants:
They shouldn’t be buried too deep – the seeds need to be close to the surface so they can easily break out of the soil into the light of day (as our faith needs to be close to the surface and ready to break out)
They require a lot of sun and water (our Son is also our Source of Living Water)
Mustard seeds sprout quickly and grow rapidly at first (our newfound faith often does this)
The leaves grow first and can be eaten (we should nourish others) then the flowers bloom to produce many more seeds to propagate (we should produce much fruit)
They have many enemies - insects and disease strikes at them (we are under constant attack from our enemy)
One thing that makes these plants grow stronger is to space them far enough apart - they need room to circulate and spread (don’t stay bunched together all the time, but go spread Jesus to others)
The optimal time for water and feed is during the day when the sun is shining (we are creatures of the Light and are to be light for others)
Mustard seeds grow easily and are adaptable (we should grow easily and be adaptable to this changing world)
So, like the mustard seed, our faith should continue to grow as our temple (body) of the Living God is fully mature, like what Jesus describes in (Luke 13:18-19)
Then Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.”
#LoveMatters