Mustard Seeds

By Lisa Greey–

I love when Jesus speaks in parables in the Gospels.  I love it because it points to the beauty of everyday life.  It shows us that while God is mighty, powerful and all knowing, we can understand him better through looking at watching a plant grow, seeing the sunset, working together with others and so much more.  A parable is a short story meant to teach a moral lesson or truth.  Ultimately, all of Jesus’ parables are meant to teach us about who God is and who we are.  Today’s parables specifically highlight the meaning of “The Kingdom of God.”

            So let’s jump right in!  First Jesus compares the kingdom of God to seed, which a man scatters.  The man goes about his daily life and suddenly the seed sprouts, and yields full grain.  What is the lesson in this story?  Well the parable specifically says the man “would sleep and rise night and day and through it all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.”  We don’t always know how God is working in our lives.  The kingdom of God refers not only to heaven, but also earth.  Hence we are part of God’s kingdom right now!  He is present and active in our lives.  He is present and active in our routine.  He is not, as some may think, only present when we ‘need’ him to help us pass our driving test, or when disaster strikes.  He is present as our lives unfold, just like the seed that constantly grows.  In the day and in the night, in our coming and going, God is with us.  We honor him when we take our daily tasks seriously, when we work hard, take care of ourselves and love those around us. Then our lives, like the seed, bears fruit.  That fruit, which manifests itself in virtues like joy and peace, bears witness to the existence of God’s kingdom.

            We get two for the price of one today!  In the next parable, Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a mustard seed.  Mustard seeds are super tiny.  However, once you plant a mustard seed, “it springs up and becomes the largest of plants.”  What’s the lesson here?  On one hand Jesus is saying the kingdom of God starts small.  And it does – because it starts in our hearts.  We are not talking about a kingdom of riches, glory and fame.  We are talking about a disposition of heart, which says, “I love God and I want to follow him.”  That small disposition though, can grow to the point where it affects everything we think and do.  So one the other hand, Jesus is telling us how huge and magnificent God’s kingdom is.  When I accept God into my heart, allow him to plant a seed, I am able to become part of that glory and majesty.  Today, think about ways you can allow God to grow in your heart.  Think about the ways he is present with you in daily life.  Maybe even think of your own ‘parables,’ ways you understand, think and relate to God that come from your daily life and experiences!