Apologies, video would not load, so please go to link to watch video and then return to this post. https://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/little-boy/how-faith-works.
The mustard seed and child-like faith
Eight-year-old Pepper desperately wanted God to bring his father back safely from the war in Little Boy a movie set in WWII. His young mind simply believed the sermon he heard Father Oliver preach about the Bible story of the mustard seed and came to ask the priest questions about how to harness that power. In the mustard seed bible story, the disciples had tried to cast out a demon in a man and could not do it. …19 Afterward the disciples came to Jesus privately and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 20“Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:19-20
Children and mustard seeds are small. But that’s where the potential is found.
Did you notice how the sound of this child’s determination began to echo and rise as he kept trying to move the bottle? It may not have moved the way Pepper expected, but it moved! Father Oliver explained; “You moved me to move it because you wanted the bottle to move so much. And that’s how faith works.” When we cry out in faith for God to show up consistent with His names, character or promises, it moves Him to answer our prayers in supernatural ways.
God wants to be believed
When God promises something in the Bible. He wants to be believed. When we believe a promise, we can live with expectancy that God will keep His promise because He is a promise keeping God. God’s promises are supernatural. They are not limited to the natural laws of this world. This is not easy for adults to understand as the world keeps telling us that believing in supernatural things is ridiculous. In the climax of this movie, Pepper is challenged by his brother to move a mountain in the horizon in front of the entire town. His brother meant to humiliate him. Pepper reached out his had with even more faith and determination as he did in our clip while the townspeople mocked. But when the earth started to move…. well, I think you get the picture of how God showed up!
Over the last year, the Lord has been teaching me a lot about the power of child-like faith. Did you know there are over 100 verses about having faith like a child? Let’s look at the most common one in 2 versions and then ask Jesus to weigh in on the subject.
Matthew 18:3 Amplified Bible (AMP)
3 and said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you repent[that is, change your inner self—your old way of thinking, live changed lives] and become like children [trusting, humble, and forgiving], you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
3 “Learn this well: Unless you dramatically change your way of thinking and become teachable, and learn about heaven’s kingdom realm with the wide-eyed wonder of a child, you will never be able to enter in.
Matthew 18:3 The Passion Translation (TPT)
Let’s ask Jesus
Jesus, It says in this verse that it is a condition for entering the Kingdom of heaven. Why is it so important to come to you like a child?
Becoming child-like is like pushing the reset button on a computer riddled with viruses. It sets you back to before you were wrecked; to a time when you were innocent, humble, trusting and believed in Me with wide-eyed wonder. The walls of the negativity and skepticism of the world had not gone up yet. This heart posture is an open door to My Presence. Faith is believing BEFORE you see, like Pepper did in the clip. Adults prefer to believe IF they see. That is unbelief. My heart is moved when you just believe Me because I AM.
Find a photo of yourself between the ages of four and eight with the joy of childhood on your face. Maybe it was on your birthday or Christmas. Remember that time. Close your eyes and be that child again. Remember what that felt like to be so innocent, so trusting. That’s the way you need to come to Me. Picture yourself playing and laughing with Me. Climb up on My lap and share your heart with Me. Let me wipe the tears from your eyes, answer your questions, and assure you that you are My dearly loved child. Let me whisper the Truth that will set you free in your ears. Move Me to move on your behalf! Watch what I can do when you come to Me in child-like faith!
Check out the award winning Clips that Move Mountains: 2nd Edition for more film clip driven inspiration. https://pattysadallah.com/other-books/