Some days being faithful, a 'good' Christian resembles running a marathon: most of us know that 26.3 miles of running is beyond our ability. Even as we honor our Lord Jesus and want to be transformed by him, we are acutely aware of how often we fall short. We, like the disciples in Luke 17, cry out, "Lord, increase our faith."David Lose, a professor at Luther Seminary, helps us gain a more balanced perspective:
"Faith, as Jesus describes it, is just doing your job, just doing your duty, not because of any sense of reward but simply because it needs doing. Faith, in other words, is doing what needs to be done right in front of you and this, Jesus says, the disciples can already do. Folks who feel daunted by discipleship need to hear that sometimes faith can be pretty ordinary. That’s what Jesus means, I think, by saying that if they had the faith even of a mustard seed, they could uproot and move a mulberry tree -- that it really doesn’t take all that much faith to be, well, faithful." **
You have heard Jesus teach; you have been anointed by the Spirit in your baptism, so you treat others with grace and mercy. You keep reconciliation and forgiveness as first (rather than last) options. You pray for those in need and share your bounty with those who have not. You honor your spouse and care and guide your children. You look on the folks you meet (sometimes more, sometimes less) as neighbors and children of God.
You don't these things perfectly. You know you fall short....and yet you fall forward, following Jesus, striving for that day of transformation when you are made whole in Jesus.
You have faith the size of a mustard seed. Continue to nurture and feed it on God's Word, on prayer and service to others, on worship and the Holy Supper. Go into the world and whatever you do, do in God's name for the sake of your neighbor. That's your call. You can do it.
** read this and more of David Lose's wisdom at www.workingpreacher.org.
