We often think to make a difference one has to accomplish great things. They must come up with the next great invention, the next killer mobile phone application, the next amazing social media platform. To have a voice one must be famous: a movie star or professional athlete. In doing so we overlook the individuals that society deems unimportant, voiceless, simple. However, it is these people, these small but mighty, that the Lord uses to build up the Kingdom of God.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed & The Parable of the Yeast
He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.” Luke 13 : 18-21
Scriptural Analysis
Jesus is still in the synagogue, instructing the crowd based on the miracle they just witnessed. The use of therefore tells the reader to connect these two short parables with the miracle that just occurred. Jesus has previously announced the arrival of the Kingdom of God in associate with driving out demons (11:20). He will do so again with this miracle.
The first parable he tells the people involves a man who plants a mustard seed in his garden. It grew big and strong, so much so that the birds of the air were able to dwell in the branches of the plant. Note that Luke does not focus on the smallness of the mustard seed which was a critical component in Mark and Matthew’s telling of this parable. This image of a seed growing into a large plant would have invoked several Old Testament images in the minds of the hearers, “on the mountain height of Israel will I plant it, that it may bring forth boughs and bear fruit, and become a noble cedar; and under it will dwell all kinds of beasts; in the shade of its branches birds of every sort will nest.” (Ezekiel 17:23) These trees are cut down and replaced with new shoots that grow, “And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish.” (Ezekiel 17:24)
Thus we see the reversal announced by Mary in her Magnificat, “he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree.” (Luke 1:52) Thus the Kingdom will be revealed through the lowly such as this woman and many will make their dwelling there. Note also that the Mustard seed was planted in a Garden which could be an illusion to the Garden of Eden as mentioned also in Ezekiel, “I made it beautiful in the mass of its branches, and all the trees of Eden envied it, that were in the garden of God.” (Ezekiel 31:9) The tree in the Kingdom of God becomes like the Tree of Life.
The second parable involves a women taking leaven, or yeast and mixing it with three measures of flour. The leaven starts off very inconspicuous or hidden just like the Kingdom of God. However, its effect will soon be manifest. Three measures of flour is a large amount: enough to feed 100 people. Thus the Kingdom of God grows to embrace the whole world.
Daily Application
In both parables we see a small, almost insignificant thing, produce a bountiful harvest: a tiny mustard seed growing into a large plant and a tiny bit of leaven rising three measure of flour. This is precisely how the Kingdom of God is built and grows. It is not through giant events, big productions, grandiose ideas. It is through individual, mostly unseen, acts and conversations. The Kingdom of God is built through individuals sharing their story of faith, of how God touched their lives, with the people they encounter on a daily basis. It is the faithful planting 1000 tiny mustard seeds, sprinkling leaven in the world around them, that grows the Kingdom of Heaven.
The question to ask is what prevents us from doing these little things. What keeps us from planting that mustard seed, from sprinkling that leaven? I would argue there are two main things holding most people back. The first, is lack of confidence. I don’t know my faith that well. I can’t answer the hard questions. That is clearly a trick from the evil one. He know most people aren’t asking those questions. Most people just want to experience an authentic encounter with a person of faith, a person who can share in simple terms how Jesus has changed their lives. That is far more impactful than the most advance theologic treatise. If the hard questions come up and you can’t answer them, be honest. People respect that. Offer to go on a journey with them to find the answers. Be confident: you know your story better than anyone so share is boldly.
The second reason people hold back is fear. There is feat of ridicule and scorn if we share our father and our rejected. To overcome that feat we must recall the words of Jesus in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man!“ (Luke 6:22) Jesus tells us that we will be ridiculed, people will hate us, we will be excluded when we share the Gospel. That can be very hard to accept as nobody enjoys that kind of rejection. None of us want to be rediculed but we have to get past that visceral response. We have to get comfortable with that if we are going to fufil Jesus’s command to spread the Gospel.
The Kingdom of God is not built through powerful people and through grandiose ideas. It is spread by the ordinary faithful through the simple witness of faith shared. From these small but mighty acts a strong church arrises, the Kingdom of God arrises. Let us pray for the courage then to go forth and boldly share our faith with those we encounter in life.
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