A Mustard Seed of Faith

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." 

Matthew 25:41-46

3 years ago, a friend of mine, has eventually become a sister of mine, a sister in Christ. Though only has a little faith, but it is still a genuine faith, that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus says, "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me."

John 15:18-21

 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

2 Timothy 3:12

Not surprisingly, and eventually her new found faith, although not persecuted, but was ridiculed by others. Her obedience to Christ's commands was ridiculed by her friend. The worst of all, as a brother in Christ, sitting a far, didn't stand up for her. Using excuse that I am sitting far away and don't have to do anything, I chose to pretend that I didn't hear anything. And eventually she has been wander away for long time, her faith doesn't grow, become a 'prodigal daughter' for few years. I always feel that I owe her something, the protection that I should offer, when she was in need.

But Christ says, "No one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." (John 10:29). Somehow, by the grace of God, she returns, with strengthened faith, a faith that really start to take root and grow. I have been ignorance at that time, and I don't want to repeat that same mistake. We know that it is by grace alone (Sola Gratia),  through Christ alone (Solus Christus) that someone is saved, and sanctified, so that all the glory is to God alone (Soli Deo Gloria). 

But I just want to do something for her. If the same thing happens again, Lord please give me enough strength and faith, to stand up for her again, to stand up for her faith in You. Although small like a mustard seed, but may her faith grows like a mustard tree, the largest of garden plants. May the seed of faith that was planted grows and produce a crop - a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown (Matthew 13:8).

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The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 

Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, 

it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, 

so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.

(Matthew 13:31-32)