Earlier this week, a coworker told me she had something for me, but keeps forgetting to bring it in.
Well I was super excited about that!
I don’t always need or have the time to come into the office, but I told her to bring it and I’ll make sure I come in.
Yesterday, she text me.
I came into the office knowing I only had 15 minutes before I would have to take off again, but I knew she had it for me.
What can I say? I’m a big kid. It was not a big deal that I was getting something, but I was completely honored, she had thought of me.
A few weeks earlier, someone stopped me in the office and presented me with a book. It wasn’t a fancy book, but it was something she was picking up for her three daughters, and she thought maybe I would appreciate it too.
Aww…
Can I pause for a second to express how much I love everything about my employer? All of them, they are all a great group of people I just love to work for, and along side of.
As soon as I opened the front door, my supervisor asked me to turn around and follow a coworker back out to assist with something.
I was completely taken off guard and honestly, a little concerned about time; I only had one objective for coming into the office, and although I don’t mind helping someone out, that wasn’t it.
Of course, I said, yes, but I had to first track someone down.
Standing in her office, she pulled out a long chain necklace, and clenched the charm to her heart as she told me this was something she had bought for herself a while ago. It was slightly worn, because it had been, quite frankly, worn. It was something she needed to help her remember, but didn’t need it anymore. She wanted me to have it.
She unfurled her hand to reveal a small round, silver charm, that cupped slightly and read “Faith”, with a teeny tiny charm hanging from it that contained a single mustard seed.
She thought of me.
Aww…
In the middle of her office, I took her gift, hugged her, and cried for no apparent reason.
She must think I’m a hot mess.
Suddenly, remembering I now had less than 15 minutes to help someone. I thanked her for her kind gift and thoughtfulness, exited her office and met my coworker at the front door with tears still welling up in the corner of my eye.
He stopped me as I tried to open the door.
“Whoa! Are you OK?”
“I cry like you breathe, let’s go.” I wiped my tears, and we were off.
Later, as I entered my car to rush off to my next assignment, I took the chain necklace from my pocket and draped it over my rear view mirror.
Once again, I was touched by her kindness.
At traffic lights, I would stop to examine it.
So small.
…faith as small as a mustard seed… – Matthew 17:20
It sure is small.
But then I stopped looking at its size and started to notice the seed.
Why didn’t Jesus say, as small as a grain of sand or a speck of dust?
Then it hit me.
All the POSSIBILITIES to grow into a large, towering, strong tree, that produces more mustard seeds, lies within the center of that teeny tiny seed.
If you split open a grain of sand, or a speck of dust, you will find nothing, no possibilities to become anything more than what it already is.
But this is a seed! A seed, that if you plant it, and water it, and give it sunlight, will grow AND it changes.
Like faith! It also grows and it changes you.
When I stopped focusing on the size, and started to realize all the possibilities that lie within, I started to understand the meaning of … faith as small as a mustard seed…
Last week I asked about Peter’s faith. Peter may not have had faith as small as a mustard seed that stormy night, as he stepped out to walk upon the water to Jesus (Matthew 14:22-33), but Jesus was planting that seed within him, and he knew with nurturing, his faith would GROW and he would change!
The possibilities to do God’s work would be endless. He would do what would be impossible for man (Luke 18:27), but could do all things in Christ, Jesus (Philippines 4:13).
I have been completely missing the most vital part of the mustard seed. It’s not its size that I wasn’t getting, but its possibilities that lie within.
Once I got that, I suddenly understood the significance of its size!
We all need faith…
But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. – Romans 4:5
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. – Romans 5:1
For it is by grace you have been saved, through FAITH–and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– Ephesians 2:8
… and the size of our faith needs to start somewhere.
May it start as small as a mustard seed!
Growing Faith 