The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 17:6,
"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."
The discussion at hand with Jesus and his disciples when he said this was forgiveness. After providing a warning against causing sin in someones life, he told his disciples to forgive if they had been sinned against. He told them if someone sinned against them, then rebuke them. If the one who sinned "repented", that is, had a change of heart, then forgive him. It is my understanding that when we are sinned against, we need to speak up. Following that confrontation, if the villain wants to get things restored, "if he repents", we are to forgive. How many times? Even if it happens seven times in a day, forgive him! In other words, never stop forgiving.
The fact that Jesus' disciples got the message clearly is indicated by their response, "Increase our faith!" They understood Jesus to say to really forgive! And, we don't see Jesus carving out territory here where we might feel free to withhold forgiveness. A business partner that cheats you, an errant spouse, inheritance that is unfairly distributed or whatever. Jesus simply says forgive and don't stop forgiving. As Jesus said in verse one, "Things that cause people to sin are bound to come…". Being wronged is going to happen to us all at one time or another and we all have opportunity to follow our Lord in this issue of forgiving.
I think Jesus' disciples were quite honest in their response. Taking him literally and at his word, they said "Increase our faith!". Forgiveness is often not an easy business and following the Lord in forgiveness can be felt to require much. Jesus' response to the disciples reaction is quite revealing. It only takes mustard seed sized faith to forgive. Although I have never seen a mustard seed that I know of, my understanding is they are quite small.
Following his comment about the small amount of faith required for forgiveness, Jesus points to a very important perspective we all need to adopt if we equip ourselves to serve the Lord, as in forgiving others. That perspective is for us to recognize that when we do what we should, what we are told to do, as the command to forgive others, we should say "We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty." Recognizing all the Lord has done for us should bring some balance, some weight, in our perspective on what the Lord has asked of us. Particularly in the issue of forgiving others.
I am reminded of Colossians 3:12-13, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
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