Oh you of little faith!

Matthew 6:30
Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

I think we read the words that Jesus spoke sometimes out of context and take them to mean something that they don’t. Take, for instance, these words “you of little faith”. Jesus uses these words a few times in His sermons, and not once are they an insult to the people. Instead Jesus uses these words to show just how much God loves us all.

The common misconception is that Jesus is being a wise guy when He says “you of little faith”, but the truth is He’s being an encourager. Take this passage here. Jesus just got done speaking about how God takes care of the birds and how He clothes the flowers. Jesus reminded the people that the flowers will fade away, yet God loves them enough to clothe them with beauty and splendor. Jesus spoke of the birds who don’t work; they don’t toil. Notice how they’re not flitting about doing “the Lord’s work”, giving their resources back to God for the “expansion of the Kingdom”. Nope, they’re just enjoying the life they have and the provisions supplied to them by God.

What Jesus is saying here is that even with your little bit of faith, your very small opinion or knowledge of who God is and how He works, God will still provide for, love, cherish, clothe, protect, and save you. He’s not saying “Oh, you turds. You stupid people with little faith. You non-trusting bunch of Godless sinners. I can’t believe you!” He’s saying, “Look, even though you think little of me, even though you trust little in me, I still intend to love you greatly. I still intend to provide for you an ever increasing abundance. Why? Because that’s what I came here for!” (John 10:10)

Too often the church uses and manipulates this “little faith” statement as a guilt trip to do more for the kingdom. “Hey, just step out, you of little faith, and give this year (x) amount of dollars to the ministry. Do you think that God won’t provide?” The words of Christ are twisted to be a discouragement, rather than used for the Savior’s purpose, encouragement. Even in later passages, where Jesus refers to the little faith of the disciples, He’s not chastising them; He’s encouraging them. He asks, “Why are you fearful, oh you of little faith?” and then with His actions Christ demonstrates that even their fear-filled little bit of faith was enough to get Him out of bed and calm the seas!

There was no rebuke for the disciples, no harsh words of judgement or condemnation. Jesus just shows them His desire for their peace by calming the sea and the storm. He acknowledges their little faith, gives them a huge show of His neverending faithfulness, and stops the storm. This is how they grew to be the disciples who changed the world. It wasn’t through their giving to the ministry, their service and devotion to the church, or their sacrifice; it was through their ever increasing knowledge that where they lacked, Christ supplied!

This is how we, too, grow in faith. It’s not by giving more, sacrificing more, or serving more, but by realizing that where we lack, Christ supplies, not just enough, but super-abundantly. If it is in health: He supplies. If it is in finances: He supplies. If it is in parenting skills, spousal skills, job skills, or people skills: He supplies. The more He supplies, the more faith grows. And, the more faith grows, the more He supplies. The method of His work only serves to glorify Him though our blessings!