Suggested Readings: Psalm 39, Numbers 13:17-27, Luke 13:18-21
"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 that 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 that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”-Luke 13:18-21 ESV
Humble beginnings can feel discouraging at times. When I tried to start a garden during the pandemic, I didn’t see any progress for weeks. I kept thinking that maybe I didn’t do something right, or that I just wasn’t doing enough to help it grow. Maybe you’ve experienced similar feelings of doubt in whatever gardens you have tended to— at work, school, or even amongst your family or relationships. The disciples may have felt similarly when they tried to imagine the kingdom of heaven. Jesus encouraged them with a simple parable. He first compared the kingdom of God to the smallest of treasures: the mustard seed. The seed, he said, “grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches” (Luke 13:19). Not only did the seed expand and grow, but it eventually was a tree large enough to sustain life. This is an example of how the kingdom of God can spread outward through communities by one person sharing His word. In the second part of the parable, Jesus compares the kingdom of God to leaven in bread:
It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until it was all leavened.
Leaven is like yeast— its work is hidden inside, but bread would not rise and grow without it. This is how God’s kingdom can work in you inwardly. By allowing Him into your heart, you are opening yourself up to all the goodness His kingdom has to offer. Both examples in the parable are small, humble beginnings, with large, overflowing outcomes.
If you’re like me with my garden, sometimes you may get discouraged when it’s difficult to imagine the outcome. Whatever garden you are tending to in your life, let this teaching encourage you to not judge your beginnings or the power of God by what you can only see in the present. Hold fast to the faith that God is working in the unseen because small beginnings can truly be transformational.
Prayer: “God, help me to have faith that you are working in the unseen. Help me to be filled with hope that all things work together for good for those that love you. I praise you Lord for your faithfulness. Amen.”
Avery Smith
Avery Smith
