This scripture blew my mind as a kid. I grew up in southeastern Kentucky, where mountains were everywhere. Every time I heard this scripture, my train of thought went something like this:
“If I could maneuver those bad boys around a little bit, I could get to Druther’s and K-Mart twice as fast. Wait, if I could move a mountain, I could definitely move a person. I could make people fly. Wait! I could make myself fly. All I have to do is have a little bit of faith, and I’ll be able to fly!”
Man, to be eighteen again…
Anyway, think of the possibilities this passage provides. If we have even a teeny tiny amount of faith, we can perform miracles. Wow…that’s awesome. But hold on a second. Jesus said this to the Apostles, who gave up everything they had ever known to follow Jesus. They did everything (most of the time) that He asked of them. They cast out demons in His name. If their faith wasn’t even as big as a mustard seed, what does mine look like? It seems like Jesus is saying that our faith is so little that it is next to nothing. Doesn’t it?
What if he isn’t saying that at all? Jesus was known for speaking in parables that could sometimes be difficult to comprehend. What if He was actually saying that anybody can have faith the size of a mustard seed, but we are called to have more?
You can move mountains if you want to, but showing true faith is acknowledging that God put those mountains there for a reason. You can hang out and do some cool party tricks, but if you are for real about your relationship with God you will focus on what He wants you to do. If you spend time in prayer and fasting, focusing on God, you will stop concerning yourself with things you can or cannot do because you know God will provide for the work He wants to do through you. Hmmm…
However Jesus intended for this passage to be interpreted, I know one thing. I have a long way to go.
How big is your faith?