Small Faith

Common sense – there’s been much written about one’s lack of it and never is it flattering!  Aunt Sue used to say, “he ain’t got the sense God gave a billy goat.”  I wasn’t totally sure what that meant, but it didn’t sound good for the man or the goat! Faith and sensibility aren’t exactly friends!  It’s true, of course, certain principles govern what we do: common sense dictates we shouldn't gather snake eggs or burn wet wood.  It's equally true, God gave [most of] us basic perceptions and ability to think rationally.  Oswald Chambers presents this clarification: "The danger we have is that we want to water down what Jesus said to make it mean something that aligns with our common sense."  The Truths Jesus taught and continues to reveal are supernatural, and must not be "watered down" or rationalized by man.  The Bible tells of numerous occasions when common sense was simply laid-to-rest: David (the young shepherd) defeated a seasoned and armored giant with a sling, and Gideon (a farmer) led Israel to defeat an army of 135,000 with only 300 men.  Do tell, what trumped common sense in [just] these two accounts? It was faith -- being sure of what we hope for, and confident of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1).  Jesus said even the smallest amount of faith, the size of a tiny mustard seed, moves mountains (Matthew 17:20).  Frankly, common sense can be one of our greatest spiritual enemies! Christians must replace common sense with simple (even small) faith -- "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5).  It’s not wise to abandon all common sense, but be careful it doesn’t push even the smallest of faith aside. Embrace faith, and watch God do wonders!