This section for me is both an encouragement and a kick-in-the-butt. It is encouraging, because it is yet another spot where Jesus' disciples didn't get it right. They weren't able to heal this man's son. They were "failures", at least in the instance, and Jesus rebukes them for it. That's the kick-in-the-butt part. I can side with the disciples, because that's usually where I fall. But in so doing, I fall on the side of Jesus' rebuke, too.
A lack of faith isn't dismissed. Jesus is harsh, calling them "unbelieving and perverse". That's me, too. I know it. It's encouraging to know that the disciples didn't stay like that. Eventually, they become all that God intends for them. That gives me hope that I will, too.
I read a biography of Francis and Edith Schaeffer today. God did amazing things through them. Exciting, adventurous things. He did that because they were faithful to Him in the little things. They prayed unceasingly and relied on God for everything. I've often longed to be like that, but always come up short. I make efforts, but to no avail. I wonder why. I wish sometimes that I could meet someone like them and ask where they started. What was it like in the beginning when they were just learning that faithfulness? Maybe I just give up too easily. Anyway, after reading that bio, I will renew my efforts to pray and rely on God.
About the mustard seed, I think it's actually a more important picture than I've realized. Your "average person" wasn't seen as having great faith. And great deeds were seen as the realm of the great prophets and giants of faith. So why would your average person even expect anything of God in response to his or her prayers. I think I take for granted that God is concerned with my life, not everyone knows that. But faith the size of a little seed doesn't seem beyond the grasp of anyone, even me. It's not the size of the faith, that matters. That's good news, because I feel like my faith is in poppy seed territory sometimes.
As an aside, it's interesting to note that the man in this story saw it as a problem that the disciples couldn't heal his son. It wasn't an "oh, well" moment. It was a "what's wrong with these guys" thing. There was such a strong expectation people had of Jesus and His followers that when someone didn't get healed, it was out of the ordinary. That's the power of God, and that's what I would like to see around me.
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