Matthew 17:20 (NIV) – He 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.”
The parable of the mustard seed is a biblical truth that was quite literally planted into my heart at a very young age. As a kid, I didn’t think much of it besides the fact that a small amount of faith could go a long way! But the older I have gotten, the deeper the roots of this parable have grown into my heart. I realized it’s not about how much faith I have; it’s about what I put my faith in.
A small amount of faith can accomplish great things. But only if that small amount of faith is placed in Him – a reliable soil. Just like mustard seeds need to be planted, our faith needs to be planted, as well. Lucky for us, Jesus is the most nurturing and life-giving soil there is.
I believe Jesus chose to use a mustard seed within this parable for many reasons. The first being that mustard seeds only need a little consistent water and sunlight each day to grow. When you think about it, Jesus refers to himself in scripture as our living water (John 7:38) and the light of the world (John 8:12). Coincidence? I think not!
The second being that a mustard seed is the smallest of seeds, yet the largest of garden plants. It shows us that even a small amount of faith can grow into something bigger than ourselves. It shows us what happens when we plant our faith in life-giving soil; we bloom.
So, I challenge you to plant your faith. Put your hope in the name of Jesus, because just like a mustard seed, you are allowed to start small and let God be big.