In The Image of Grace
- Paula Shockley
- Oct 2
- 2 min read
3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.” 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. (Luke 17:3-6)
Chapter 17 of the book of Luke begins with Jesus telling his disciples that people are going to sin, but that they (and we) must not be the cause of anyone's sin. He then went on to explain the importance of forgiving one another - even for repeated sins. The disciples then asked Jesus to increase their faith, but Jesus essentially replied that only a small amount of faith is needed to do seemingly impossible things. To drive this point home, Jesus asked them to consider the likelihood of such a seemingly impossible thing as a master serving their slave.
Understanding that Jesus is calling us to the same radical way of being to which he was calling his first disciples, and which he lived out himself, could cause us to cry out for increased faith just as they did. Indeed, the path of Jesus is not an easy one to walk. Laying one's self down for those who are perpetually undeserving seems unthinkable, yet Jesus is the master who washed the feet of his servants and who gave his very life to enable our forgiveness. The knowledge of this radical love should move us in gratitude to strive to follow his example. And the understanding of our humanness should shape in us a humility that never lets us take the gift of grace for granted. More faith is not as necessary as a will aligned with the heart of God. May God continue to sustain us as we yield ourselves to be molded into the image of our Creator and Lord.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good; live in the land, and enjoy security. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will make your vindication shine like the light and the justice of your cause like the noonday. (Psalm 37:3-6)
Enjoy this original song by yours truly.
This is a classic!
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