The Carpenter’s Tools - Small Faith?

Article by Pastor Wallace Phillips
- Ahoskie, NC


I recently traveled to the small town of Bethany. Remember the village where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived? It was meaningful to say the least just to be in the same town where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. We went to the tomb where Jesus released those memorable words – “Lazarus come forth!”

It caused me to think of faith no doubt. But on my journey back to the bus I met an elderly Arab farmer with a plastic bag in his hand. He was selling mustard seed pods for a dollar. He had discovered something from his homeland that would appeal to pastors like myself.

He had me to hold out my hand. He rolled his forefinger and thumb together and slowly tiny, tiny specks appeared in my hand. He told me, “that’s the amount of faith that it takes to move a mountain.” I recalled the words of Jesus and thought about faith in a different light for certain.

Many times I have read those words. Many times I have seen the mustard seeds that we know of in this country. But I can tell you that the mustard seed we know is much larger than the ones that are found in Bethany. Some might say…”Oh what’s the difference?” Well, it spoke volumes to me. The tiny, tiny specks that appeared in my hands made me realize that Jesus is simply looking for faith; faith that may seem small to us, but faith.

It’s faith that believes God for the impossible. It’s faith that realizes that He is the God who said “Let it be” and it was. It’s faith and according to Jesus it doesn’t have to be giant faith. It can be as a grain of mustard seed and move mountains in your life.

Thank God for the words of Jesus and thank God for the little man in Bethany who brought the fresh awareness of the mustard seed to my life. You may feel that your faith level is down, but be reminded that it is still FAITH.



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