The short passage this week contains 2 very short points that Jesus is making. And yet I wonder points about what ... faith, servanthood ... discipleship? And why? Taken out of context, it seems rather random and often I find the saying, “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," used as a way to tell people they must not have faith because they are not producing acts of miracles on a daily basis. As a matter of fact, in Matthew's gospel, a form of this saying is used to explain why the disciples cannot cast out demons. (See Matthew 17:14-21) I personally sometimes say to myself, "well, I must not have any faith at all because I am not experiencing life and accomplishing ministry as I think a "faithful" servant of God would.
What am I missing here? When in doubt, check the context! What is the reason Jesus is saying these things to the disciples in this Gospel. After Jesus has an encounter with the Pharisees who are grumbling about his "welcoming and eating" with sinners, he moves into the story about the "prodigal son." Remember this story about the deep and amazing grace of the Seeking God who is always waiting for those who are lost to come home? If you are not familiar with the story, you can read it here: Luke 15:11-32.
After he tells the Prodigal story, he turns and has a strange exchange with the disciples, then with the Pharisees again followed by a final exchange about forgiveness with the disciples (Luke 17:1-4) which sets the context for our focus passage. Jesus said to his disciples, “Things that cause people to trip and fall into sin must happen, but how terrible it is for the person through whom they happen. It would be better for them to be thrown into a lake with a large stone hung around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to trip and fall into sin. Watch yourselves! If your brother or sister sins, warn them to stop. If they change their hearts and lives, forgive them. Even if someone sins against you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times and says, ‘I am changing my ways,’ you must forgive that person.”
I'm not sure but I feel like this may be directed at the Pharisees through this exchange with the disciples. Jesus accepts ALL people but sometimes people (not just the Pharisees but many people throughout history and not always religious people) have a hard time accepting others ... "bad" sinners ... as if there is a sliding scale upon which there is a line that says, "ok, too far you're done, no forgiveness for you, you are toast!" Although I did believe that once upon a time, thought I was going to hell for sure, some other people thought that and told me so ... today, I don't actually believe that, I think we ALL fall short. And God will forgive everyone! That's just who God is. As I read through the larger narrative, especially considering the message of the Prodigal son story and what Jesus says above, it sounds to me like he believes that too. This stern warning seems to be pointed toward those who "cause" others to stumble and to those who keep others from the forgiveness and grace of God. Once again, Jesus says there is NO line and there is no person too far from the grace of God to heal and forgive. Sometimes, this is a very hard thing for our human minds to accept. At least, humbly, that's what I believe.
Yet, flowing from our own self-centeredness, sometimes we take the things Jesus says and are so afraid that we have crossed over that line and are in danger ... that we cry out "increase our faith" along with the disciples when, honestly, we have plenty of faith to turn to God, to forgive others their shortcomings, to admit our own mistakes and go on. This faith is enough not because of who we are or aren't nor because of who others are or aren't, but because of Who God IS. Sometimes, we expect all kinds of bells and whistles to assure us that God still loves us. Sometimes, we think we need mountaintop experiences to assure us that God is present with us. If we continue to live in the fear that we have been forgotten or abandoned by God because we haven't had bells, whistles or mountaintop experiences lately, it is not long before it is the bells, the whistles and the mountaintop experiences we want, almost desperately, more than God. At least, that is where I was for a long time.
What am I missing here? When in doubt, check the context! What is the reason Jesus is saying these things to the disciples in this Gospel. After Jesus has an encounter with the Pharisees who are grumbling about his "welcoming and eating" with sinners, he moves into the story about the "prodigal son." Remember this story about the deep and amazing grace of the Seeking God who is always waiting for those who are lost to come home? If you are not familiar with the story, you can read it here: Luke 15:11-32.
After he tells the Prodigal story, he turns and has a strange exchange with the disciples, then with the Pharisees again followed by a final exchange about forgiveness with the disciples (Luke 17:1-4) which sets the context for our focus passage. Jesus said to his disciples, “Things that cause people to trip and fall into sin must happen, but how terrible it is for the person through whom they happen. It would be better for them to be thrown into a lake with a large stone hung around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to trip and fall into sin. Watch yourselves! If your brother or sister sins, warn them to stop. If they change their hearts and lives, forgive them. Even if someone sins against you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times and says, ‘I am changing my ways,’ you must forgive that person.”
I'm not sure but I feel like this may be directed at the Pharisees through this exchange with the disciples. Jesus accepts ALL people but sometimes people (not just the Pharisees but many people throughout history and not always religious people) have a hard time accepting others ... "bad" sinners ... as if there is a sliding scale upon which there is a line that says, "ok, too far you're done, no forgiveness for you, you are toast!" Although I did believe that once upon a time, thought I was going to hell for sure, some other people thought that and told me so ... today, I don't actually believe that, I think we ALL fall short. And God will forgive everyone! That's just who God is. As I read through the larger narrative, especially considering the message of the Prodigal son story and what Jesus says above, it sounds to me like he believes that too. This stern warning seems to be pointed toward those who "cause" others to stumble and to those who keep others from the forgiveness and grace of God. Once again, Jesus says there is NO line and there is no person too far from the grace of God to heal and forgive. Sometimes, this is a very hard thing for our human minds to accept. At least, humbly, that's what I believe.
Yet, flowing from our own self-centeredness, sometimes we take the things Jesus says and are so afraid that we have crossed over that line and are in danger ... that we cry out "increase our faith" along with the disciples when, honestly, we have plenty of faith to turn to God, to forgive others their shortcomings, to admit our own mistakes and go on. This faith is enough not because of who we are or aren't nor because of who others are or aren't, but because of Who God IS. Sometimes, we expect all kinds of bells and whistles to assure us that God still loves us. Sometimes, we think we need mountaintop experiences to assure us that God is present with us. If we continue to live in the fear that we have been forgotten or abandoned by God because we haven't had bells, whistles or mountaintop experiences lately, it is not long before it is the bells, the whistles and the mountaintop experiences we want, almost desperately, more than God. At least, that is where I was for a long time.
Mustard Seeds. Photo used under an Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Did you know that God, through the Spirit, is closer to us than our very own breath. The Hebrew word for Spirit is Ruach ... means wind or breath. Perhaps we might begin to focus on God through a Breath Prayer for as long as it takes to quiet our souls. Use this one or create your own ... Breathing in a Name for God, Breathing out your greatest growing desire ... 6-8 syllables are best but mine is 11 this week and yet it works!Breathing in ... God of the Mustard Seed
Breathing out ... Help me share my faith
When you are ready to enter into the biblical narrative through Lectio Divina, start with this prayer: Faithful God, open my heart to your grace and help me deeply know the assurance of your love and forgiveness as I read and pray. Help me to grasp the depth of your presence in all of my life no matter how I feel. In Jesus, Amen.
Step 1: Read Luke 17:1-5 slowly and reverently ...What word, or phrase calls for your attention in your reading? Spend a few moments pondering how God may be inviting you through this word or phrase ...
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. “Would any of you say to your servant, who had just come in from the field after plowing or tending sheep, ‘Come! Sit down for dinner’? Wouldn’t you say instead, ‘Fix my dinner. Put on the clothes of a table servant and wait on me while I eat and drink. After that, you can eat and drink’? You won’t thank the servant because the servant did what you asked, will you? In the same way, when you have done everything required of you, you should say, ‘We servants deserve no special praise. We have only done our duty.’”
Step 2: Read your selection again and Reflect ...
How does your word or phrase from this passage illuminate your life right now? How is God inviting you to change or grow or pray or act?
Step 3: Read your selection again and Respond ...
What do you say to God about your life and how you feel you are being invited? How do you pray when you consider what God is saying to you?
Step 4: Rest ...
Come to a place of silence within yourself and just "be" with God. Try for 10 minutes or beyond ... When you are ready to move on, pray:
God of Faith, sometimes I cry out with the disciples, "increase my faith!" Help me to realize that I have all the faith I need. Help me to offer my small mustard seed of faith to you ... not so that I can work miracles of nature but so that I can reach out to those who feel lost and offer them the message of love, grace and forgiveness that will bring them closer to You. Amen.
By Amit Kaushal (originally posted to Flickr as mustard) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
If music is a pathway to God for you, listen to this song by Chris Rice
called "Home Tonight" which is a beautiful song about the journey of the
lost to find God. The Anime photos add a quiet haunting poignancy to the song. May those who are lost in all walks of life and in
all the world find just a small seed of faith through which to find
their way home tonight.
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