And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to (this) mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. "Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, 'Come here immediately and take your place at table'? Would he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished'? Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'" (Lk 17:5-10)
The apostles have listened to Jesus and his teachings on the kingdom and the demand of the kingdom. The apostles find it difficult and it is hard to live up to the expectation. So they ask for ‘increase of faith’. Jesus answer is very interesting. The disciples are asking for greater quantity of faith and Jesus is talking about the faith in the size of a mustard see. Yes, what the apostles need is not greater faith but faith in a greater God.
Many times, people argue saying that the faith is little and the faith is not sufficient etc. People are worried about the quantity of faith and the size of the faith. Ut the question is whether they have faith in God at all. Their faith is on something else than on God. Faith even to the size of a mustard seed should be placed on God and God only, then things will happen beyond the expectations.
Another shocking lesson to the apostles is regarding the work done for God. Many times the apostles, and so also we, feel that we have done enough for God. How many of us say that we have done more than expected. How often we hear that we have done hard work etc. We should realize that we never put God in our debt however hard we might have worked. All genuine work done to God is done out of gratitude and not to earn anything from God.
