Un-leaven Livin’
By Rich Jenkins
Matthew 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Luke 13:18-21
Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.”Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
In these passages, Jesus compares our witness to salt, mustard seeds, fire and yeast. He uses parables about very small but potent ingredients, each requiring a proper measure to remain active. I believe that when Jesus walked as a man on this earth he understood how small and insignificant we would feel. Yes, God allowed him to feel small and outnumbered sometimes. I’m not saying that Jesus was inadequate, because He certainly wasn’t. Jesus always knew He was fully man and fully God, but He constantly demonstrated for us that His almighty power had nothing to do with size.
God is for the little man!
He has loaded the Bible with analogies and parables of the concentrated might of the miniature. Consider David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. The Bible says “Goliath was over 9 feet tall” and that David was “only a boy!” When James speaks about our evil words in James 3:5, he likens our small tongue to a spark that can set a forest on fire.
Jesus himself says in Matthew 17:20 “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Jesus knows the power of the little man. He constantly reminds us that it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but rather the size of the fight in the dog. Jesus is our source of power and demands us in John 15:5 to remain in Him: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” If you stay plugged into your source of power (Jesus), “Nothing will be impossible for you.” If we allow Jesus to grow our faith, He will give us opportunities and trials to exercise it.
Your small size cannot limit the power of Almighty God. There is nothing He won’t do for you and nothing He can’t do through you. However, in order to be a tool in His mighty hand, our faith must remain active. We must daily exercise our faith, through prayer and being in His Word, so it remains vibrant and living. Without faith, we live un-leaven lives. “Neither hot nor cold but lukewarm” was Jesus’ rebuke in Revelation 3:15.
Take this time to pray to our Father and ask Him to “Give me courage when I feel small. Show your mighty power in me.”
Work diligently today to exercise your faith. Trust Him in all things and know that He cares for you. Above all else, seek His will for you.
Rich Jenkins is an Elder in Training at the Vineyard. He, his wife, Val and four children have been part of our fellowship since the very first meeting in June of 1993. They open their home as the host of the Murfin Field Home Group on the first and third Monday of each month.
