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.”

Luke 17:5-6

Have you ever felt overwhelmed and afraid? What keeps you grounded in faith and hope? Sometimes all it takes is a small gesture from a friend or family member. Maybe a hug when you’re scared, or a friend to say “yeah, that’s tough,” when you’re struggling.

Our reading today comes in the middle of a longer passage. In this passage Jesus is having a conversation with his disciples about sin and evil. They want Jesus to increase their faith in the face of such tremendous evil. Jesus compares faith to a mustard seed. A mustard seed is really small – 1-2 millimeters in diameter. Jesus is saying that’s all the faith they need – just a tiny fraction. Jesus goes on to say that such a seemingly small amount of faith can have tremendous power.

What small gesture of faith can you give someone today?

Susan Sytsma Bratt