When we look at the actual size of a mustard seed, it changes everything.
Our sermon last Sunday, was about Jesus and the mustard seed faith discussion found in Luke. I have always enjoyed that part of scripture because I knew that mustard seeds are small, but a few years ago, for a middle school Sunday school class, I actually went out and bought some mustard seeds so the kids could see them.
I’ll have to admit that I was stunned. Those seeds are seriously tiny and Jesus talks about them in more than one instance.
In Luke 17, Jesus tells the disciples that if they had faith even as tiny as a mustard seed, they could tell a mulberry tree to uproot itself and throw itself into the sea and it would. That seems like an extravagant gesture.
But, our pastor pointed out the verses before it where Jesus tells the disciples to forgive their brothers if they ask for forgiveness and repent, even if they do it seven times in a day.
The mulberry tree begins to look a little bit easier, doesn’t it?
Forgiving someone repeatedly, goes against our human nature. Forgiving someone one time is hard enough, twice is even more difficult, but at some point, our go to, is to write them off and be done with them and to remain angry.
And therein lies the problem. Carrying around anger and unforgiveness damages our souls. It weighs down our hearts. It separates us from God. It also leads to a host of physical problems from anxiety, to high blood pressure, to stomach issues.
Walking away from people who wish us harm, is perfectly fine, but our souls need for us to forgive.
How is that possible when someone has wronged us over and over?
Jesus says if we have the faith as tiny as a mustard seed, that will be enough. Refer to the picture of the mustard seed and the penny.
If we have just the tiniest bit of faith, Jesus can do the rest. If Jesus is within us and we pray about forgiveness with open hearts, the Holy Spirit will make a way.
So, our excuses of not being strong enough to forgive, don’t work because it’s not about us. It’s about Jesus and He says with God all things are possible and He says that we only need faith the size of a mustard seed to succeed in what He asks us to do.
Sometimes the next step is to ask ourselves if we believe Jesus is true to His word. If the answer is yes, then we know we have all we need to move forward.
A tiny mustard seed reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.
Have an awesome day!
Wendy 🙂