Small Seeds, Yeast, and Treasure (Matthew 13: 31-33, 44-46)
31He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."
33He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened."
44"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
As fledgling Christians, we aren’t much good. Sure, we want to be better. Our superficial gestures attest to that. But what about something deep and eternal, something substantial and real. If you are just going through the motions, be encouraged. Don’t give up. Learn from your God given experiences. Be malleable by casting off fear, doubt, and shame. Be humble and respectful. Be kind and full of grace. Then cherish love which presents itself as affection. And grow into it.
Understand that God intends personal transformation for you. He has given you the desire that comes from faith. He instills in all of us the ability to learn. He knows your strengths and weaknesses, and builds from that. God sets us up to succeed. He wins our victories, and uses setbacks as springboards to something better. That is how Paul can affirm that in all things God works to the good for those who believe (Romans 8: 28). He shares our joy when it is centered on him. And when times are tough, he interprets our groanings. The Holy Spirit pleas for us. And Jesus intercedes for us. We have everything we need to come out on top.
Remember that in all things love is the focus. Sometimes it is necessary to step back or apologize. Place other’s needs above your own and discover how that yields fruit. Don’t judge. Be open. And try to become a genuine person, the same inside as outside, cradled in integrity which comes from a love for God.
Remember that mustard seed, which is small and unimpressive, which grows into a tree that provides shade and a home. You too will grow into something substantial. For those in your life who need encouragement, you will become a trusted friend. For those who seek refuge, you will become a bulwark of strength. For those needing advice, you will be their confidant. So, take care to be trustworthy with small responsibilities, and greater responsibilities will follow.
To better understand, consider yeast. You need just a small bit to make bread, because that small bit works its way through to affect the entire batch. God has given you something reliable, something seemingly small and ineffective at first. But listen for God speaking to you, in the Bible, and in your experience, and it will begin to work on you. Successes in love are direction arrows. You will begin to have credibility in your circle of influence. As you grow, others will grow. And peace and harmony will be the result.
Really, what God is offering is treasure. Try to see that and commit. Life lessons can be hard. But be persistent and you to will become something useful. Romans 13: 29-30 assures us that the process of sanctification will be realized in our lifetime. For we are empowered by God to ultimately reflect better and better Christ’s image. It is a bit of a miracle how that all works. But know that your growth in character and good works is something ordained by God. We have his backing, and his help. A sense of vitality and wellbeing will come. Then you will find that it is not so much about doing as it is about a state of being. Doing will come by God’s grace. But what God really cares about is your heart as the impetus of all activity.