I Owe You One – October 10, 2025
Read: Luke 17:1-10
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” Luke 17:5
I Owe You One
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
It’s your night to do the dishes. But just before dinner, a friend calls to invite you over. You ask your brother if he’ll do the work for you, and surprisingly, he agrees. “Sweet! I owe you one,” you say. “Don’t worry about it,” he shrugs.
Does that sound familiar? Or is your family the kind that keeps score? “I did the dishes last night!” “You never took out the trash!” Sometimes it feels like everyone is keeping a giant scoreboard in their head. And honestly—it gets tiring, doesn’t it?
Wouldn’t it be better if we could just help each other without asking, “What’s in it for me?” Jesus tells us something like that in Luke 17. He says we should forgive others again and again, even if they mess up in the same way more than once. We should serve without expecting anything back. And when we’ve done what we were supposed to do, Jesus says we should think, “I just did my job.”
That’s not easy to hear. Because our brains like fairness. We like to keep track.
The disciples thought it was hard too. They begged Jesus: “We need more faith!” They knew they couldn’t love, serve, and forgive like that all by themselves.
But Jesus surprised them. He said that even faith as small as a tiny mustard seed could do amazing things. Why? Because the power doesn’t come from us. The power comes from whom our faith is in. A little faith in a big God is more than enough.
When we hear God’s Word, we’re reminded of how Jesus served us, forgave us, and gave his life for us without keeping score. The more we remember that, the more our faith grows. And the more we grow, the more we start asking, “How can I help?” instead of “Who owes me?”
Faith doesn’t just help us do the hard stuff. It helps us do it with joy.
So let’s pray like the disciples: “Lord, increase our faith!” Let’s trust that God will grow faith in our hearts and help us serve, forgive, and love—not because we have to, but because Jesus already gave us everything.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, please increase our faith, so that we can see those around us who need our love. Help us to help others willingly, because you do the same for us. Amen.
The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire.
Questions for Younger Children
- Have you ever helped someone before they even asked? How did it feel?
- Why do we want to be kind, even when it’s hard? (Hint: Who is always kind to us first?)
Questions for Elementary Age Children
- Have you ever done a chore and thought, “This isn’t fair!”? What helped you keep going?
- Why do you think Jesus tells us to forgive someone over and over again? Is that easy or hard for you?
Questions for Middle School and Above
- What makes it tough to serve or forgive someone without expecting anything back?
- Jesus says even a tiny mustard seed faith is powerful. How does that help you when you feel small or weak?
