Focus: Little Faith (part 2)

Text: Mt.6:30

"O ye of LITTLE faith."

This word "little" in our text is 'oligos' in Greek, and its opposite is 'polus,' meaning 'much' or 'plenty.' Oligos doesn't mean 'little' in the true sense of that word. It doesn't mean small size faith. On one hand, our mustard seed kind of faith begins as a little, tiny thing, but capable of great growth.

On the other hand, oligos means, 'for a season,' 'a while,' 'short,' 'brief,' 'almost,' or 'puny.' What the Lord Jesus is expressing as a little faith is non-durable faith. It is passing, not lasting. It is short lived, momentary or fleeting. A kind of faith that is almost nonexistent, or so insignificant as to be nonexistent. A brand of faith that cannot weather the storm. It can step out of the boat to go to Jesus, but begins to sink as soon as it sights a strong storm. It begins to lose steam and grips when it sees the storm surging and raging.

Let us look at the characteristics of little faith. Verses 25, 27, and 28 of Matthew 6 makes it clear that little faith is full of ANXIETY or WORRIES. It is bothered about needs and bills.

In Matthew 8:26, Jesus says to His disciples amid a storm, "Why are ye FEARFUL, O ye of little faith?" Right here, little faith is FEARFUL.

In Matthew 14:30, we read, "And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou DOUBT?" Right here we can see that little faith is DOUBTFUL. Peter's little faith was weakened by doubts and indecision. He was in between two opinions, contemplating either to go ahead to Jesus or to quickly go back to the boat. So he found himself in the middle of nowhere.

In Matthew 16:8, we read, "Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, WHY REASON ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?" Here, little faith is shackled by the facts of logic. Little faith succumbs to unnecessary arguments. Faith and reason are often at loggerheads. Faith feeds on divine revelation, not on human reasoning. Faith is reason beyond reason.

In Mark 4:40, Jesus says, "Why are ye so FEARFUL? how is it that ye have NO FAITH?" As Mark sees it, little faith amounts to no faith because of the presence of fear. Fear forces faith out. The entry of fear into the heart leads to the exit of faith.

Finally, in Luke 8:25, Jesus says to His disciples, "Where is your faith?" Jesus is here looking for the little faith. It is now missing. Jesus is asking you now, "Where is your faith?" Could it be that, that faith you once had and cherished is now nowhere to be found.

A lot of us have religion, not faith. A lot more of us mistake religion for faith in Christ. Don't just profess faith; make sure you possess it.

Little faith is deficient faith. It is faith that easily quits or gives up. Little faith finds it so hard to go all the mile or all the way. It loses smile and poise when faced with a storm.

Like Paul, I am in your life to supply what is lacking or missing in your faith (1Thes.3:10).

I pray for you to receive all the spiritual nutrients your faith needs to flourish and function on a new level, let the moral deficits in your life be canceled, and let your spiritual tempo and balance be restored. Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter