Too often we think of faith as a kind of commodity, something that is measurable in the way we might check the ingredients on the side of a packet. In the 17th Chapter of Luke’s Gospel the apostles are asking for Jesus to increase their faith. They want that extra ingredient so that they can rest easy, comfortable in the knowledge that they got all that they need to be “in” with Jesus.
But Jesus is not a faith-banker, allowing his customers to accumulate faith-coin.
It is a presumptuous request, “increase our faith.” It supposes that they have some faith to begin with and Jesus lovingly points this out by talking about mustard seed. If only they had the tiniest bit of faith, it would be so powerful they wouldn’t know what to do with it.
Lessons that involve a “slave” are naturally difficult. So, let’s try and unpack it a bit. The slave is only doing what’s expected of him/her. But, faith is not a reward given to people who’ve done what they are suppose to do.
Neither is faith a set of beliefs or a prescribed set of behaviours. Faith is all about relationship—a relationship of trust, of aligning ourselves with Jesus. Faith is not about what we do in our head; it’s about what we do with our hands and feet, our wallets, our privilege, and our time.
Faith in Jesus is not shown by saying or thinking the correct things about him, but by following him. And he’s always on the move. It seems that every time we take a step to follow Jesus we grow and stretch a little. Our capacity to love, to receive, to trust, to serve, increases.
That’s the power of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps we can’t add a single measure to our faith but we can follow Jesus in ways that are so extraordinary they will be like mulberry bushes being uprooted and planted in the sea.
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