The Dust of a Mustard Seed

Matthew 17:18-20 ¹⁸Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. ¹⁹Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” ²⁰He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Going through traumatic and stressful events can have a profound effect on our faith and trust. Faith and trust have basically the same meaning: a strong belief or confidence in someone or something. However, this is based on a world view of being able to see and touch. What about our Godly view of faith and trust? What about the things we can’t see or touch? What about the seemingly unreasonable tragedies that happen to those we love? What about all the world issues that affect us here domestically whether we realize it or not?

We all become “Doubting Thomas’” when our faith and trust is tested or even crushed. The Disciples all suffered from lack of faith as witnessed in Matthew’s Gospel. Their faith and trust were tested and crushed even further upon Christ’s crucifixion. However, Jesus said to them only the faith the size of a mustard seed is needed to move mountains.  

In these crazy, modern times the mustard seed appears to be crushed into a fine powder and blown away with the wind. However, there is still the mustard seed dust on which to build back our faith and trust. Do we sweep away that dust because we don’t understand what Gods purpose is? Or do we let the dust buildup, add water (cleansing tears), and form a new foundation on which to build. The reasons are not ours to be known. Therefore, we must not let bad things crush our faith into dust. When they do, hang on to the dust and rebuild.