In the seventeenth chapter of Luke’s Gospel, the apostles approach Yahushua with a plea that feels remarkably modern: “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17:5). It is a request born of exhaustion. Just moments before, Yahushua had laid out the radical requirements of discipleship—specifically the gruelling demand to forgive a repeat offender seven times in a single day.
The disciples weren’t asking for more information or better theology; they were asking for a bigger “engine.” They felt their current internal capacity was insufficient for the weight of the life Yahushua was calling them to lead. They assumed that faith was a commodity—something you could store in a warehouse or measure in a tank.
Yahushua’s response, however, completely flips the script on how we perceive spiritual power. He doesn’t give them a boost; He gives them a perspective shift.
The Power of the Small
Yahushua famously responds by saying that if they had faith the size of a mustard seed, they could command a mulberry tree to be uprooted and planted in the sea.
To the disciples, the mustard seed was the ultimate symbol of insignificance. It was the “pixel” of the ancient agricultural world. By using this imagery, Yahushua makes a profound point: The potency of faith is not found in its volume, but in its object.
We often fall into the trap of thinking we need “great faith” to see great results. We wait until we feel “strong enough” to start a new venture, “holy enough” to pray for a miracle, or “stable enough” to forgive a deep betrayal. But Yahushua suggests that faith is less like a muscle that needs to be bulked up and more like a key. A tiny key can unlock a massive vault because the power isn’t in the key—it’s in the mechanism of the lock.
The “lock” is the character and sovereignty of Yahuwah. When we stop focusing on the “size” of our belief and start focusing on the reliability of the One we believe in, the smallest amount of trust becomes explosive.
From Consumption to Activation
The disciples’ request—”Increase our faith”—implied a passive reception. They wanted Yahushua to perform a spiritual infusion. Yahushua’s answer, however, points toward activation.
A seed does nothing while sitting in a jar. It only realizes its potential when it is “spent” in the dirt. Practical faith is not a feeling we wait for; it is a decision we act upon. You don’t get more faith by sitting on a couch wishing for it; you get more faith by using the microscopic amount you already have to take the next step.
When you act on a “mustard seed” of conviction, you create a feedback loop. You see Yahuwah move, your confidence grows, and your capacity expands. Faith is a living organism, and like any living thing, it grows through the tension of use.
Practical Applications: Living the Mustard Seed Life
How do we take this ancient conversation and apply it to our mornings, our strained relationships, and our career anxieties? Here are four ways to live out Luke 17:5 today:
1. Practice “Micro-Obedience”
Don’t wait for a grand vision to change the world. Look for the “mustard seed” tasks in front of you. It might be sending an encouraging text to someone who crossed your mind, or choosing to be honest in a small transaction. These small acts of trust are the soil in which larger faith grows. If you can trust Yahuwah with the small stuff, you’ll find you have the “mass” to trust Him with the mountains.
2. Shift Your Focus from Quantity to Quality
Stop checking your “spiritual pulse” to see if you have enough faith to get through the day. Instead, look at the faithfulness of Yahuwah. Remind yourself of His track record. When you feel your faith is small, acknowledge it, but then remind your “mountain” how big Yahuwah is. The goal isn’t to have “big faith”; it’s to have faith in a Big Yahuwah.
3. Forgive in the “Seven-Times” Rhythm
The context of the disciples’ request was forgiveness. Forgiving someone who has hurt you feels impossible. You likely don’t have the “feeling” of forgiveness. That’s okay. Faith in this context looks like a mechanical choice. You choose to release the debt because Yahuwah asks you to, even if your heart hasn’t caught up yet. This is mustard-seed faith in action: doing the right thing while feeling completely inadequate.
4. Embrace the “Yet”
Mustard-seed faith is the ability to look at a situation and add the word “yet.” “I don’t see the provision yet.” “I don’t see the healing yet.” This small word acknowledges the current reality while leaving room for Yahuwah’s sovereignty. It prevents your small faith from turning into no faith.
The Mulberry Tree Phenomenon
Yahushua specifically mentions the mulberry tree (or sycamine). These trees are known for their incredibly deep and complex root systems that make them nearly impossible to uproot. They symbolize the deeply rooted habits, traumas, and systemic issues in our lives that seem permanent.
The promise of Luke 17:6 is that even these “unmovable” fixtures of our past can be uprooted. Not by our sheer willpower, but by the simple, persistent application of trust in Yahuwah.
You are not disqualified because you feel weak. You are not “failing” at Christianity because you feel your faith is small. In fact, you are exactly where the disciples were. The secret is to stop asking for more and start using what you have.
Conclusion: The Growth is Inevitable
The beauty of a mustard seed is that it doesn’t stay a seed. It becomes a tree so large that birds find rest in its branches. When you offer Yahuwah your “small” trust—your “I’m not sure about this, but I’ll try” or your “I’m hurting, but I’ll forgive”—He takes that tiny, organic particle of belief and grows it into something that provides shade and shelter for others.
Don’t wait for a surge of confidence. Plant the seed. The increase doesn’t come from your effort; it comes from the life already contained within the Word of Yahuwah. Your part is simply to believe that He is who He says He is. That is enough to move any mountain.
(🔥De-Mustard Seed analogy’)
The Emphasis, is More 💫on 🌠CommanD’🤲🏼
Etc, Neva’begging 🙏🏼
JCC
All Praises to the most high🌌👊🏽
Regards