Happy September! It’s hard to believe that fall is upon us. But with the change in weather, kids returning to school, summer hours ending and the like, it definitely feels like we’re heading back to our regular routines. I know for me, it feels like summer flew by this year. I’m glad that as a church family, we had an opportunity to close the summer out by gathering with friends new and old at our central site this past Sunday. A big thank you to everyone who helped, especially those who prepared the food. We were blessed!
As we return to our routines this fall, I’ve been thinking about the meaning of our faith out in the world, where so much of our lives happen. While we gather on Sundays as a church family, we spend far more time outside the walls of the church, shoulder to shoulder with others. What does it mean to live as Christians in our schools, or neighbourhoods, or workplaces, and everywhere else?
I think two parables can help give us some guidance about this. In Matthew 13:31-32, Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a mustard seed, saying,
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in his field. It’s the smallest of all seeds. But when it’s grown, it’s the largest of all vegetable plants. It becomes a tree so that the birds in the sky come and nest in its branches.
As I looked into mustard plants, one of the things I learned is that mustard grows all over the world. Mustard can be found in North Africa, West Asia, Europe, and even here in Ontario. There are also many varieties of mustard, although the one that caught my attention was wild mustard. Wild mustard is considered in some places to be a weed, Like all weeds, it is resilient in its ability to thrive and reproduce even in the harshest settings.
This parable highlights an important truth about the kingdom. The mustard plant starts as a seed, quite small and unimpressive. But when it starts to grow and multiply, it can fill entire fields with beautiful, yellow flowers. Wild mustard can grow in nearly every condition, and some mustard plants around the Mediterranean can even grow to eight or ten feet tall!
When I think about this in the context of the church in the world, I believe many of the same principles apply. Like the mustard seed, the kingdom of God is often not fancy, elaborate, or flashy. It’s actually quite the opposite–like a seed, the kingdom often begins as small, humble, and unassuming. When we think about our role as Christians in the world, our actions do not need to be fancy, elaborate, or flashy. In fact, God often calls us to things that are small and humble.
Another parable that Jesus tells in Matthew 13:33 makes a similar point. He says,
The kingdom of heaven is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in a bushel of wheat flour until the yeast had worked its way through all the dough.
When yeast is rolled into dough, it is nearly indiscernible. There is no way to seperate the yeast from the dough once it has been added and worked all the way through. Yet, the effect of the yeast is undeniable. The yeast leavens the dough and improves the bread, although it is subtle.
Often, our calling in the world is not to big works or attractive, fancy actions. Rather, our call is to simple obedience, including in the small things. What is often most important is the consistency and reliability of our witness. Do we consistently demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit? Do we hold to values and principles defined by God, like integrity and character? Are we able to reflect Jesus well in every circumstance? This is not about big, bold actions, but about resilience, like wild mustard.
It is often through humble and seemingly small things that God plants mustard seeds of the kingdom. And many times, we aren’t able to see the fruit that God brings forth. But are we still willing to be obedient in the small things? As we head back to our normal routines, I pray that we would remember that the kingdom of God is not primarily about the big actions and moments. Rather, it is often through small and humble actions that God plants seeds. Our job is to simply be obedient to God, in both big and small things alike.