Year C
Season after Pentecost
Proper 22 (27)
What I Am Learning
The apostles say to Jesus, “Increase our faith!” Jesus replies that even faith the size of a mustard seed can uproot a mulberry tree and plant it in the sea. Then he tells a short parable about servants who do their work without expecting special thanks.
At first, this response can sound discouraging. The disciples ask for more faith, and Jesus answers by saying they don’t need more—they need to trust the power of the little faith they already have. The parable about servants drives the point home: discipleship is not about earning rewards, but about steady, faithful service.
Within Jewish Tradition
Jesus is not belittling his disciples. He is echoing the wisdom of Israel’s Scriptures, where God often uses small beginnings for great purposes. Abraham and Sarah were just one elderly couple, yet became the root of a people. The prophets often spoke of a faithful remnant. Zechariah declared, “Do not despise the day of small things” (Zech. 4:10). Jesus stands in this same tradition, reminding his followers that God delights in using the small to accomplish the great.
The Challenge Then
The disciples (and us) wanted dramatic power, enough faith to feel secure. But Jesus tells them that faith is not measured in quantity. It is measured in trust and in daily practice, even when results are not immediate.
The Challenge Now
We often believe we need “more faith” before we can act. Christian Nationalism distorts faith into a show of strength and certainty. But progressive Christians may stumble too, dismissing small acts as insignificant while waiting for sweeping change. Jesus reminds us that God works through mustard-seed trust and daily service, not through spectacle or delay.
Implications for Leaders & Communities
In a collectivist world, faith was not only personal but communal—a covenant practiced together. Jesus’ teaching reminds us that communities thrive not on grand gestures but on steady, faithful service. Leaders are called to model quiet persistence rather than constant recognition, and communities are called to honor daily acts of trust that keep life together flourishing.
What I Am Learning is that discipleship is not about being spectacular. It is about being faithful. It is showing up with the little I have and trusting that God can work through it.
The question I’m sitting with:
Where is God inviting me to trust the power of small faith this week—and to serve without worrying about recognition?
