In Luke 17:1-4, Jesus was teaching His disciples on the importance of strife free living.
He instructed them to forgive their brother as many as 7 times a day.
It was almost as if the disciples attempted to change the subject on Jesus by asking Him to “Increase their Faith” in Luke 17: 5.
To change the subject, it was as if they were viewing walking in love thru forgiveness as unimportant.
It appears that they considered working great miracles by faith as exciting and walking in love was not.
Jesus reeled them in by combining the two topics.
He said in Luke 17:6, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.”
Jesus was saying yes faith is important in working great miracles; however, as compared to walking in love through forgiveness, faith is only the size of a mustard seed.
In other words, love as manifested in forgiving others is more important than faith in working great miracles.
Paul said in 1Cor. 13:13 that Love is greater than Faith.
In Galatians 5:6, Paul says that Faith works through love.
In other words, Faith won’t work without love.
Jesus went on to say in Luke 16:8.
You first focus on doing what I’m telling you to do (by walking in love), and then, and only then I’ll answer your requests.
M.H. Dennis
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