Luke 17:5–10
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.
‘Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from ploughing or tending sheep in the field, “Come here at once and take your place at the table”? Would you not rather say to him, “Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink”? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, “We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!” ’
Reflection
At first I couldn't see the continuity between the request for faith from the apostles and the illustration of the servant. I'm not sure if the apostles were requesting faith in the first place or if they had faith and wanted more faith. So, what is faith?
Faith isn't about the person, it's about the relationship. It's being a solid and faithful person to God or someone or something else that the person is in relationship with. Here, I would say the relationship is with God. God is trustworthy and true to us as we should be to God. In our relationship with God we have faith only because God is faithful. Likewise, faith is a trust in one another. God is trustworthy and we can trust God to be faithful. So we have faith in God. And we have faith in God because of what God has done in and through Jesus. Jesus gives us faith by his being with us and coming for us and dying for us to save us from ourselves and sin. We have faith only because of God. God grants us the trust and hope and faith we need to live in relationship with God. Our source or object of faith is God. In this faith we are active and alive in God. When we have faith we live for God because God allows us to live.
So, back to the passage, a little bit of faith goes a long way. God saves lives through faith. God recreates the pot of clay through the faith of the maker. The maker always makes what she desires. Through faith we live for God and move for God and give our lives to God, because we know God is trustworthy, faithful and true to us as we live in relationship with our God. Faith goes a long long way!
As faithful servants of God we serve in the privilege of God's presence. It's what we really want! It's all we need! We want to be with God. So, in doing what is expected, we seek no more. What we do for God is nothing compared to what God has done for us. But, what we do for God permits us to be in relationship with God. So, with the little faith, the little seed that we have, we listen to God, we seek God's call, we respond as faithful servants, because we really want to and can't help ourselves! We know of God's love and faithfulness because of what God has done for us in Jesus.We have life all because of God! So, we have faith in God.
So, don't be a "proud of self" servant. Be a "grateful servant" for what God has done for you. The work of faith shouldn't be work in the sense of a return for payment. You can't repay God! You can't work enough to pay for what God has done for you! God has given you life, freely and graciously. Therefore, your faith is a joyous response to what God has already done. You, and I, and the servant, are joyous in the opportunity to faithfulness. An opportunity that would not exist had it not been for God's move of sending Jesus to live and die for your and my sins and bring us to new life. New life in Christ results in faith. Faith that will easily move a tree from the desert of sin to the river of hope, faith and love of God. Thanks be to God!
Prayer
Lord, I have faith in you. I can't help myself. Live with me today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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