Matthew 13:31-35

Matthew 13:31-35 ESV He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables;
    I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”

How does one explain something that it too great for comprehension? Jesus explained the kingdom of heaven by using parables to compare various aspects to things or situations the people could understand. Once all of the parables about what the kingdom of heaven is like are combined, we can have a basic, if incomplete, understanding.

The parables of the mustard seed and leaven show that the kingdom of heaven starts small but grows to have a great impact. The mustard seed is small enough to be almost invisible but I’ve heard it can grow into a plant up to twelve feet tall, that can provide shelter for others. A tablespoon of yeast is also virtually invisible when mixed in a much larger amount of flour, but it changes the very nature of the bread.

We do not have to do great things to advance the kingdom of heaven. Small acts of love, grace, and mercy can seem almost invisible at the time but have a huge impact. Faithfully modeling a godly life to a child can give them the foundation they need to grow into a man or woman after God’s heart. Forgiving an offense or taking time to offer a compassionate ear may lead to someone’s willingness to trust you enough to listen to the gospel down the road. Many churches have been started by a small Bible study in someone’s living room.

Prayer is another virtually invisible Christian activity. Yet the prayer of a righteous person has great power (James 5:16). Sometimes Christians downplay prayer. Such as when someone says, “Well, all I can do is pray.” Prayer is very often the most powerful thing one can do. God does incredible things in response to prayer. Sometimes God will call you to be the answer to your own prayer – keep that in mind when God calls you to pray for more workers for the harvest.

God rarely calls us to do great things. He calls us to live obedient lives. When we are obedient though, God can do great things in and through us. God may only call you to plant a tiny seed, but then He calls another to water it, calls a third person to fertilize it, and a fourth person to tend it. Each may have only played a small role, but the result is something large that has far-reaching effect.

Lord, let me hear Your call for what I should do today. Let me not despise the insignificance of the small calling or be intimidated by a big one. My job is never to create a result. My job is just to obey.