FAITH LESSON FROM THE MUSTARD SEED.
By John H. Mc Eachern
Faith in the supreme and unlimited power of God, is one of the most essential possessions of the true Christian. It ennobles character, and strengthens the soul to progress onward devoid of all fears. It matters not to the endeavoring Christian what gloomy aspects the disappointments and bereavements of this world may present before him, if, through faith, he can look forward, believing in his heart the promise of Christ, “All things work together for good to them that love God.” Let us, for a moment, look at what the all-wise Teacher, our Saviour, says of the need and power of faith in those who are His followers. In Matt. 17:20, He represents its power by the parable of a grain of mustard seed: “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you!” What an appropriate comparison! Almost every tiller of the soil is acquainted with this hardy little plant, and has observed with what thriftiness and sternness it confronts his efforts to kill and remove it from his field. In its progress of early growth it presents before our mind the exact picture of the divine life in a young Christian. Whenever the seed is once sown, it immediately begins to grow, and so long as it is in a position to derive light and warmth from the sun and nourishment from the soil, it grows and flourishes, no matter what obstacles, such as stones and other debarments, its tiny roots may find in the way. Is it not a grand picture of the faith that may remove mountains? The language here used is evidently symbolical. It would be absurd to think of man, even if God gave him the power, having a desire to remove the mountains of the earth simply to prove his own power of faith; but, like the mustard seed, the obstacles and burdens which every follower of Christ is destined to meet, may well be compared to a mountain. Even in the sinner’s conviction of his guilt before God, we find a great load, as it were a mountain, upon him. Bunyan, in his “Pilgrim’s Progress,” symbolizes it as a great load that Christian is carrying on his back. In this we again see the need and power of faith. What can relieve the sinner of his burden?—“Faith in the atoning blood of Christ.” Then, after conversion, when we start out in love of service, and with desires to progress in the divine life, we, like the grain of mustard seed, meet many hard obstructions in our way. The devil, “the enemy of all souls,” tries to confront us with all the embarrassments he can possibly devise, to discourage us from walking in the straight and narrow way that leads to eternal life. But in this our trial our faith must be like the above Christ-given illustration, which absorbs all possible strength and nourishment, extends its roots over the obstacles, or, if it be possible, permeates them. We, by looking forward to our high calling, and, by using the power which God has promised us, which is ours if we believe, can gain strength to follow Christ despite any and all obstacles and hindrances we may meet by the way. There is yet another grand lesson to be learned from this simple, but inexhaustible, parable. So long as the soil in which the mustard grows, is kept in cultivation so that the seed is near the surface, where it can get light, it grows and flourishes; but when the tiller of the soil plows it down deeply and covers it with the sod, it lies there dormant, as it were taking a refreshing sleep, till the plowman turns the soil again and brings it to the surface. Coming again in contact with the light, it blooms forth fresher than before. Its apparent death in the soil pictures to us the sleep of the child of God till the resurrection. Then, as the plowman uncovered that little seed so that life may be again manifest in it, so may we, when the Son of Man at the last day opens the graves, come forth again into divine light and life, to flourish throughout eternity. May God increase our faith that we may overcome the tempter, abound in good works, doing our duty in all things, to the honor and glory of Him who has redeemed us that we should live and reign with Him forever.