Make Mine a Double

Luke 17:5b Increase our faith!

Mother's Day is approaching which means it's time to make another list. My sweet little family loves "the list" and rarely deviates from it. And now I ponder what should find it's way to my "the list" this May? Clothes? Jewelry? A Spa Day? Books? More Faith? Wait a minute. How did THAT get lumped in with the potentials.

This morning I was reading Luke 17:1-5. Here Jesus is addressing seemingly totally unrelated issues:

• Verses 1-2 clearly states the importance of being a godly example to others - This touches me in a raw, tender place because it takes my mind and heart to my children. So often when I see a behavior in their life that concerns me or I'll be honest maybe just is driving me to the brink of mom insanity, I have to look first to myself. When the laundry is piling up to the ceiling, I merely have to open my eyes and I find my clothes among the pile to know they are just as diligent in this as me. When I hear them speak unkindly to each other, I replay my own conversations with them and hear the moments when I spoke unkindly to them. I cry out to God, "When will I ever change?"


• Verses 3-4 reiterates the importance of being willing to forgive a person multiple times - Here my heart is drawn to my spouse. While I hit the jackpot when I was blessed with my sweet husband, he actually is human. Like me, occasionally he'll repeat a behavior of something for which he has previously asked my forgiveness. At these times I struggle to have a heart fully open to forgiveness. I cry out to God, "Why it is so hard to forgive?"


• Verse 5 the apostles pop on the scene. They clearly had been sleeping during the sermon because they responded, "Increase our faith!" What in the world does faith have to do with what kind of behavior I model or how freely I offer forgiveness? Could it be that increased faith is the key to unlock two doors of great struggle in my life?

If by increasing my faith it is possible to be a better wife and mother, than I say to Jesus today, "Make mine a double!"