A Little Goes A Long Way
Peyton Johnston
October 2nd, 2018
Galatians 5:9; Luke 17:20
There are few things in life more wonderful than a warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven loaf of bread. Can I get an amen?? It’s a comfort food that cultures around the world rely on as a staple for their nutrition. The recipe for bread is quite simple, but if you leave any ingredient out, you’ll have a total baking catastrophe on your hands. Especially if you leave out yeast. Any successful baker knows that without yeast, your bread will end up totally flat. And what is bread without its fluffiness? But then again, if you add too much yeast your dough will rise until it eventually explodes. Just a dash is enough to cause the entire lump of dough to rise into a loaf of bread.
Paul warned the church to protect ourselves against those who spread false doctrine. He compared it to the effect a little yeast has on all the dough – it just takes one person to infect an entire group of people. A church full of life can be brought to destruction if it allows one spiritually unhealthy member is allowed to spread hatred, lies, pride, negativity, or skewed scripture.
Then there’s the mustard seed. A grain of mustard seed is ridiculously small. So small that it’s practically microscopic. (Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration.) But really, it’s extremely difficult to see, and is literally the smallest seed known to man. Yet when planted, it grows into this massive plant that overtakes everything in its pathway. It’s basically impossible to stop its growth, and quickly multiplies until it covers lans as far as the eye can see.
Jesus spoke to his followers about the great impact faith as tiny as a mustard seed can move the mountains in our lives with a single word. Powerful miracles can sprout from humble beginnings. Great change can begin from the influence of one. Possibilities become endless with the most miniscule amount of faith.
You are just one person, and that may not seem like much. But a little goes a long way. You have the ability to influence your environment with just a few words, a couple of decisions, and some subtle actions. It doesn’t take much to change the atmosphere of your surroundings. You can create a place of hope or fear; of faith or doubt; revival or death. You get to choose what kind of attitude resides in your school, workplace, and even in your youth group by the presence you bring.
But if you aren’t careful, you can also allow your light to be put out by welcoming darkness into your life. Just a little tolerance of unGodly things will eventually damage your walk with God and your ministry. You have to make sure that everything and everyone you let impact your life are only going to encourage you to live a pure and holy life. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself discouraged and misled by the infection of this world.
A little faith can move a mountain. A little false doctrine can ruin an entire group of believers. Are you making the impact of faith to those around you? Or are you allowing yourself to be impacted by this world?
Pray: “Lord, protect my life from being infected by the darkness of this world, and let my faith be strong enough to move mountains. I pray that I would never allow anything against Your truth to sway my beliefs. Help me to be careful to not let even a little bit of false doctrine to enter into my heart or mind. I want to be the one to change this world, not the other way around.”