So if we’re
wanting to reap a harvest of fruit in our own lives or in the lives of those we
love, what seeds do we need to sow? I would suggest that what we need most is the
seed of faith. It doesn’t have to be any bigger than a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20).
Just a tiny bit of faith can make a huge difference. It can move mountains and
make valleys more bearable.
How does this relate to the
first part of the verse—going out weeping? As one who’s done my share of
weeping, I think this can be applied to any of the trials and tribulations of
life (John 16:33). We all walk through difficulties at various times, and we’ll
all face the valley of the shadow of death as well. In the midst of those
troubles, a tiny seed of faith can make the difference between hope and hopelessness,
between peace and fear.
There are
times, though, when even that tiny bit of faith seems to be missing. In those
times, we need the faith of others to help carry us through. Like the paralytic
in Mark 2, we need some friends to carry us to Jesus. They may do that through
prayer, through reminding us of God’s love and faithfulness, or even through
the seemingly mundane things like driving us to the doctor or fixing a meal. Several
times in the Gospels it is said that people were coming to Jesus bringing the
lame, blind, crippled, children and babies, and Jesus never turned them away. A
few times a person couldn’t be moved, but a messenger was sent to Jesus and He
responded to their requests of faith.
Sharon
Jaynes writes in Your Scars Are Beautiful
to God, “Sometimes we don’t have the energy to make it to the Healer alone.
How blessed to have friends who will be the stretcher bearers to carry us to
the Savior, risk the rebuke of others, and are not afraid of getting a bit
messy in the process… It is a gift to have one person with whom we can be
completely honest. How much better if we can have two or three… A friend can
remind me of God’s faithfulness when my memory is clouded by the circumstances
of life” (p. 71).
On the good
days, it’s easier to remember that God loves, cares, is in control, and is
faithful to us. On the bad days, we often forget (or don’t believe) that God
really is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28). That mustard
seed of faith, either our own or others’, can keep us moving forward toward
that eventual day of harvest and rejoicing. For those who feel lacking in
faith, seek out someone who can help carry your burdens, and be encouraged by
knowing that even a little faith can move mountains. One day you may find that
you have sown seeds you didn’t even know about as you kept walking through the
valley. For those who have loved ones who are struggling with some problem, don’t
discount the value of your own faith and the effect it can have on them. Keep
doing the “little” things of loving, encouraging, and praying for them.
“Jesus answered, ‘O woman, great is your
faith! Be it done for you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed instantly”
(Matthew 15:28).
“I have prayed for you that your faith may
not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke
22:32).
