Increase Our Faith

 Note: for some reason yesterday's slice did not appear; it should be here today.

Luke 17: 1-6

Sin, Faith, Duty

17 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. ² It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 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.

Jesus sternly warns us about causing people to stumble, especially the young.  The use of "bad language" within the earshot of these youngster often leads to imitation, it being a sign of "adulthood". So too with tales of cheating, taking (stealing) tools from the boss or company, drinking, sexual exploits, "dirty jokes"' the list goes on and on.  Such talk is an invitation to the millstone.

In equally succinct form, Jesus advises forgiveness and encourages us to have faith, even as small as a mustard seed.

We can read these sayings of Jesus, agree with them, but not let them have any effect on our behavior. "Aye, there's the rub". Instead, let us begin now to clean up our "act", and become more forgiving and believing. If we ask for God's help, he will grant it.  How much better would our homes and our workplaces would be if we straightened out our behavior in these three areas!

Bro. Rene