Meditation

Read Matthew 17:14-20

Truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.—Matthew 17:20 (NRSV)

When I moved from the city back to my small hometown and to the little church where I had grown up, I assumed that the church was too small to be of much significance. Surely, I thought, its light could not shine as bright as that of the large urban church I had attended in the city. My assumptions were wrong.

Almost immediately, I learned that what the church lacked in numbers and resources was offset by the dedication of its members as they filled hundreds of buckets with cleaning supplies for flood victims and went out into the community to repair and maintain homes for residents. This little church moves mountains for the communities it helps and for the members who come together to serve.

People in Jesus’ time thought of him in much the same way I once thought about my church. Most didn’t think Jesus, born to poor parents from a small town, was the Messiah. He worked as a carpenter. He spent time with fishermen. How could a common man make any mark whatsoever on the world, much less be a savior and redeemer?

When we question the significance of our service, we can remember that the first disciples of Jesus were only 12 people. Though small in number, they revealed God’s greatness to an entire world—and so can we.

Prayer: Dear Father, no matter how small or insignificant we might feel, grant us the faith to serve others. Amen.

Thought for the day: I can accomplish great things through faith in Jesus Christ.

—John Grube, Texas