Leaven in the Meal

Week 20: Praying with Humility

“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:10-14

My Summary & Reflection

In this parable, Jesus tells us of the prayers of two men, one a Pharisee and the other a publican. A Pharisee was a strict adherent of Jewish law and a respected member of society. A publican was a tax collector, which was an occupation looked upon with scorn as the taxes were collected for the Romans under whose empire the Jewish people lived. First, the Pharisee stood and offered up his prayer to God. He thanked God that he was better than the sinners of the world, including the publican. He also noted to God, how faithful in his observance of law that he had been. Next, the publican, with lowered eyes, offered up his prayer. In it he prayed for mercy for himself and called himself a sinner. Jesus then tells us that the publican who humbled himself will be looked upon more favorably than the Pharisee who exalted himself.

I think that this parable is about the dangers of being self-satisfied. As a religious adherent in a world filled with sin, it’s easy to look around at those who we feel are under performing and say to ourselves, “Well, at least I’m not a thief or at least I’m not an adulterer,” as the Pharisee did. Or to pat ourselves on the back for our tithe, or our fast, or our attendance at church services. But what Jesus is saying is that our prayers to God are not about comparing ourselves to one another as each of us has our own flaws, but in comparing ourselves with that which is not flawed, which is God. As Jesus says in Luke 18:19, “...none is good, save one, that is God.” Because as faithful as each of us is, we are all flawed and all are in need of God’s mercy.

This parable is also about the dangers of looking down on someone else’s spirituality. In his prayer, the Pharisee thanked God that he wasn’t like the publican. Meanwhile, the publican was praying for forgiveness and for mercy from God. As the scripture notes, those who humble themselves will be exalted. The publican saw his own flaws and, prayed with the humility of a sinner seeking mercy. The publican was self-aware in a way that the Pharisee wasn’t. The publican was able to view himself critically, while the Pharisee was not. And for that, Jesus says, the Pharisee in his boastfulness will be made low.

Your Reflection

Are you tempted to compare yourself favorably to those around you? If so, why?
How can you look at yourself more critically, and pray for mercy for your own flaws?
How can you start to look at others with compassion instead of competition?

Week 19: A True Neighbor

“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?” Luke 10:30-36

My Summary & Reflection

A man was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was mugged by some thieves. These thieves stripped the man of his clothes and beat him, leaving him alone and half dead. After the thieves had gone, along came a priest who saw the critically injured man. But the priest merely passed by him without offering any assistance. A while later a Levite, a respected member of the community, also journeyed along the same route. He, too, saw the man who had been beaten and robbed. And he, too, passed by the man without offering any assistance. Finally, a Samaritan, who was not a member of the beaten man’s faith or community, travelled along the route as well. When the Samaritan saw the poor condition of the man, he bound up the man’s wounds, and took him to a nearby inn. Before he left the next day, he paid the host of the inn to take care of the man. Jesus then ends the parable by asking, which of these men was a neighbor to the man who had been robbed and beaten?

This parable is often titled, “The Good Samaritan.” I entitled it, “A True Neighbor” because it occurred to me that the point of this parable was not that the man who showed mercy to the person who had been robbed and beaten was a Samaritan, but that he was a true neighbor despite any cultural or other boundaries. To put this parable in context, this story was told to a man while discussing the requirement to “[love] thy neighbor as thyself.” The man asks Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” The parable goes on to show how neither the priest nor the Levite, both respected members of the community to which the beaten man belonged, acted as neighbors to the man. They both ignored his wounded condition and, in fact, left him alone to die. It was only the Samaritan, a cultural stranger and a foreigner to the injured man’s community, who acted as a true neighbor. He stepped up and stepped in to provide life-saving assistance to someone he seemingly had no obligation to, for no benefit to himself. He not only provided his own time to care for the man, but he also provided money to the innkeeper to care for the man until the man was able to care for himself.

This parable ends with the question, “which of these men was a neighbor?” The man to whom Jesus was speaking replies, “He that shewed mercy on him.” To that Jesus replies “Go, and do thou likewise.” With that, Jesus is telling each of us that everyone, regardless of the boundaries that we have divided ourselves with, is a neighbor to be shown mercy. We should each love one another, regardless of our earthly status, culture, faith, or any separations as we love ourselves. We are all neighbors with one another.

Your Reflection

Why do you think that the priest and the Levite passed by without offering aid to the injured man?
If you had been on that road, what would you have done?
In Jesus’ eyes, are you a loving neighbor?
What keeps you from being a loving neighbor?

Week 18: A Tree is Known by its Fruit

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:16-20

“For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.” Luke 6:43-44

My Summary & Reflection

There are really two comparisons made in this parable as told by Matthew. In the first, Jesus tells his disciples to beware false prophets and compares those false prophets to wolves in sheep’s clothing. In the second, described by Matthew and Luke, Jesus then goes on to explain how false prophets can be identified. In that way he compares the prophets to fruit-bearing trees. He says that the false prophets can be identified by their fruit.

The wolf in sheep’s clothing is a common metaphor to many of us. In it, a wolf disguises himself as a sheep and blends in with the herd to avoid arousing fear among either the sheep or the shepherd. The wolf’s intent, however, is to devour the sheep. In the same way, Jesus identifies some people as false prophets who wrap themselves in the attire of the righteous, but inwardly their goal is destruction. Sadly, we all have seen examples of this on the news and maybe in our own lives. These examples are numerous and can be found among members of the ministry as well as teachers, coaches, doctors, and others who portray themselves to be upstanding citizens, but who turn out to be predators who prey on the young, the weak, and the helpless.

In this parable, Jesus tells his disciples that these false prophets can be identified by the results of their works, or their fruits. Just as a tree bears fruit that is in alignment with its nature, similarly the results of a person’s works will align with his or her nature. We cannot merely look at a person’s appearance and accurately assess their character, either for good or for ill. So, before placing your faith in a person, you must in today’s parlance, check their references.

To paraphrase Maya Angelou, if a person shows you who they are, believe them. That is what Jesus is saying. He’s saying that a person’s true nature will be revealed through their works and their words. “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil; for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” Luke 6:45 There will be evidence of the desires of their heart. Each of us has to remain clear-eyed so that we will believe what is being revealed to us and not let ourselves be fooled by appearance, or title, eloquence, or any other superficial presentation.

Your Reflection

Have you examined the fruit of those in whom you place your trust?
Would anyone recognize the fruit that you bear as the fruit of a Christian?
What would the fruit of a Christian look like?

Week 17: Adding New to the Old

“No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:16-17

“No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.” Luke 5:36-39

My Summary & Reflection

In this parable, Jesus is advising against trying to add on something entirely new, to something that is old and worn. He says that a person shouldn’t attach a new piece of cloth to an old garment because it will only cause the tear to be made worse. Similarly, he says that a person shouldn’t put new wine into old bottles because the bottles will break and the wine will run out. Also, in Luke, Jesus says that no one who having drunk old wine, appreciates the new because he thinks that the old is better.

To understand this parable, it is helpful to have some context. Jesus told this parable after receiving criticism from the Pharisees, who were religious leaders in his time, as well as from the disciples of John the Baptist. They wanted to know why Jesus would dine and spend time with sinners. They also wanted to know why the disciples of Jesus did not fast, as did the Pharisees and the disciples of John. Jesus then shares this parable. In it, I believe Jesus was comparing himself to the new cloth and to the new wine, with the old cloth and the old wine, being the religious traditions of the day.

Have you ever heard the expression, cut from a different cloth? That, I think, is what Jesus is saying that he is. He is something new, something that the people haven’t seen before. He’s not John the Baptist nor is he Moses, he is something new and he has a new message for a new generation. As Jesus says when asked about dining with sinners, “they that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” He is identifying himself as the healer for the sin-sick soul. He and his message are not an easy add on to the existing traditions, but are in fact something completely new. Jesus, through his life and teachings, created not just an add on to the religion of the day but created a new religion.

He also compares himself to the new wine. In Luke, he also says that the new wine, after having just consumed the old, is generally not appreciated. Similarly, the new message that Jesus was delivering was also not easily appreciated by the religious of the day. If they still have the taste of the old wine on their tongue, it may take some time to find the flavor and appreciate the new. Similarly, if you have studied and believe in an old tradition, anything new or different will seem odd and jarring at first. It is only after a time, that you may come to appreciate what is beautiful about that which is new and different.

Your Reflection

How difficult do you find it to change, to give up old habits and traditions?
Have you tried just adding on Christianity to your existing lifestyle? If so, what was the result?

Week 16: A Rich Man’s Request

“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise, Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, through one rose from the dead.” Luke 16:19-31

My Summary & Reflection

Jesus tells this story of a rich man who lived an extravagant and easy life on earth and compared it with Lazarus, who was a beggar who lived off the crumbs left by the rich man. Both men died. Lazarus, the beggar, went to heaven, where he was pampered and provided for in luxury. The rich man went to hell, where he suffered in its flames. The rich man cries out to Abraham to send Lazarus to provide him with water to ease his suffering. But Abraham replies to the rich man that he had his comfort on earth, and now it was Lazarus’ turn to receive his blessings. Abraham further notes that there is a gulf between Lazarus and the rich man in death that cannot be crossed.

The rich man then makes a second request. This time he asks that Lazarus be sent to his father’s house, where his brothers still lived, in order to warn them to repent before they suffer the same fate as he. Abraham said that the brothers already have notice of what to do from the guidance provided by Moses and the prophets. The rich man replied that they would believe the guidance if it was provided by one that they knew had been dead. Abraham replied, that if Moses and the prophets could not persuade them, they would not change even if someone rose from the dead.

Luke describes this story as being told to the Pharisees, “And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” Luke 16:15. In other parables, the kingdom of heaven is described. In this story, a rendering of life after death is described. There are a few pieces of this story that catch my attention. The first is that the rich man, even after death and even though he himself is suffering in hell, seems to still see Lazarus as a servant, or someone less than him. The entreaties to end his suffering are not directed to Lazarus, but to Abraham. Perhaps the rich man sees Abraham as a man like himself, who he can talk to and he still sees Lazarus as a beggar or a servant who can be ordered this way or that at his master’s bidding.

The rich man is never described in the story as being particularly cruel or evil. Neither is Lazarus described as being particularly kind or good. The only distinction drawn between their lives on earth were the rich man’s plenty and Lazarus’ lack.

In the story, Abraham also describes a gulf dividing heaven from hell that cannot be crossed. This implies that the separation that occurs between those chosen to move forward and those left behind in torment is a permanent one. It is only the actions on earth that determine a person’s destiny. Those who are condemned can’t have a change of heart after death, that will allow them into the kingdom. Nor, will those permitted entrance be judged again.

Lastly, the request that Lazarus be brought back to life to provide testimony to the rich man’s family, so that they would repent and avoid his negative consequences, was denied as well, but for different reasons. Abraham doesn’t mention any gulf between the kingdom of heaven and earth that cannot be crossed. This, perhaps, is a foreshadowing of the resurrection of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, or Jesus’ own resurrection. Abraham merely denies the request on the grounds that those who refused to follow the tenets of Moses and the prophets, will not follow even one who has resurrected from the dead. It implies that the rich man’s brothers’ hearts are already hardened and that even a great miracle will not move them toward a path that will lead them to repent.

Your Reflection

Are your trying to “justify yourselves before men” or are your goals aligned with the teachings of Jesus?
Does it make you feel comforted or afraid to know that God knows your heart?

Week 15: A Sower of Seeds

“…Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched: and because they had no root, the withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.” Matthew 13:3-8

“Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.” Mark 4:3-8

“A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorn sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold…” Luke 8:5-8

Jesus’ Explanation of this parable is:

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” Luke 8:11-15

My Summary & Reflection

Jesus’ explanation of this parable is clear. His teachings are compared to the seed and Jesus himself is the sower. For the seeds that fall by the way, these teachings are heard, but not believed. Jesus says that the devil takes the word out of the listeners’ hearts, so that they will not believe and be saved. As for the seeds that land on a rock, these are the teachings that find a willing believer, but their beliefs are rootless and the listener will fall away from their beliefs at the first sign of temptation. Lastly, those on good ground, are willing believers who hear Jesus’ teachings and keep them with patient observance even in the face of temptation.

I think of it like this, the seed by the way side touches your ears. You hear what Jesus is saying, and it goes into your short-term memory where it will quickly be replaced by the next set of data that you come across. For the seed that lands on a rock, those teachings find their way to your brain, where you can process and understand them intellectually, but they never become a part of who you are. Lastly, the seed that lands on good ground finds its way into your soul, where it becomes a defining part of who you are and begins to form your core beliefs and attitudes. It is that seed, those teachings, that become the guidepost for your life.

So, how do you prepare your soul to receive the teachings of Jesus? We’re not able to sit at his feet like the disciples and listen to Jesus preach. But, we are able to read the word as contained in the bible and to prayerfully contemplate that which he would have us understand. So, maybe by studying the word either individually, or with a bible study group, or with our church or given family we can prepare our soil, which is our souls, to receive the teachings and to know how to “bring forth fruit with patience.” The word can be implanted in us with strong roots that resist all temptations. And we can become believers who will not forget what we have learned and that continue to grow in our spiritual journey.

Your Reflection

Are these teachings reaching your soul or are they simply in your ears or your memories?
How do you prepare your soul to receive the teachings of Jesus?

Week 14: A House Built on Solid Ground

“Therefore whosoever heareth these these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:24-27

“Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.” Luke 6:47-49

My Summary & Reflection

In this parable, Jesus is comparing his observant followers to a wise man who built his house upon a rock. Even in the midst of a devastating storm, the house remained solid and secure because of its strong foundation. However, those who have heard the teachings of Jesus and neglected to follow through on them, are compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand. When the storms came, the house fell because of the weakness of its foundation. So, Jesus is comparing his teachings to a rock upon which someone can build.

Jesus appears to be telling us to attach our foundation to his teachings. It is upon these teachings, you can start to build. I equate it to learning to read. If you’re going to learn to read, you first need to know the alphabet. It is upon the alphabet that the foundation for reading is built. Similarly, the foundation of the Christian faith can only be built on the teachings of Jesus. And as in the parable, when the ideology of a person or a faith community is founded on anything else, then when tested by the harshest storms, that person or community will be swept aside.

Another point is that his teachings form the foundation for action, not inaction. He says, that whoever hears my teachings and does them. That means that Jesus’ teachings form a foundation for you to act, to do, or to follow through on the guidance that he provides. It’s not enough to hear and to agree, we must also have actions that align with his teachings in order to build a strong foundation.

It occurs to me that the soundness of a foundation is only revealed during the harshest times. When days are sunny or times are good, a beautiful facade can hide the imperfections of structure. But when the storms come or times are difficult, then the true strength of a building, a family, a church, a relationship is revealed. Those that are built on a solid foundation can weather the storm, those that are not are swept away. As the gospel songwriter Edward Mote said, “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand.”

Your Reflection

Upon what is your foundation built? What of that of your marriage, your children, your church?
Does hearing the teachings of Jesus get you to reorder your life? How?

Week 13: Scribes Like Householder

“Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.” Matthew 13:52

My Summary & Reflection

In this parable, Jesus calls the disciples scribes that are being instructed about the kingdom of heaven. In this way, Jesus lets them know that he shared these parables about the nature of the kingdom so that they would write them down and share them with others. These stories then, are like treasures that can be brought out and shared.

As written by the disciples, there are twelve parables that describe the nature of the kingdom of heaven. These parables paint a picture of heaven as not just a place, but as:

An ingredient that makes everything it touches rise. – Leaven in the Meal
A man who sowed good seeds into his field, that must then be separated at harvest from the weeds that had been sown by his enemy. – Separating the Tares from the Wheat
A treasure hidden in a field, that when found, a man sold all that he had in order to buy that field. – Treasure in a Field
A merchant who found a pearl of great price and sold all that he had in order to buy that pearl. – A Merchant with One Pearl of Great Price
A king who forgave his servant a great debt, until that same servant refused to forgive a debt owed to him. – A King Forgiving Debts
A net cast into the sea from which the good from the bad are separated. – A Net Cast into the Sea
A man who hired workers for his vineyards who paid each the promised same, regardless of the time worked. – A Householder Hiring Workers
A man who left his goods under the charge of servants, rewarding those who were bold and productive and punishing one that fearfully hid what had been placed under his supervision. – A Man Distributing Talents
A king who is rejected by the invited guests to a wedding for his son, so he opens up the wedding so that all are now welcome. – A King Hosts a Wedding for His Son
Ten young women, five of whom were prepared to meet the bridegroom and five who arrived unprepared and were not allowed entry. – Ten Virgins
A man who casts seed into the ground and harvests the fruit thereof in due time. – A Man Casting Seed into the Ground
A grain of mustard seed, that is the smallest of all seeds, but from which a giant tree grows providing shelter for the birds of the air. – A Grain of Mustard Seed

Your Reflection

Now that these parables are a part of your treasure, with whom will you share them?
How does understanding the nature of the kingdom of heaven, change what you do?

Week 12: A Grain of Mustard Seed

“…Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.” Mark 4:30-32

“…Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and wereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.” Luke 13:18-19

My Summary & Reflection

In this parable, the kingdom of God is compared to a grain of mustard seed. A mustard seed is tiny when compared to other seeds. But, from this tiny seed, a great tree grows and spreads its wide branches, providing shelter for the birds of the air.

Every day we see the miracles of nature all around us. The fact that a large tree which can provide food, shelter, breathable air, and protection from erosion can come from a tiny seed is just one of those miracles. The fact that a single cell can divide and organize itself into the cells of our heart, our lungs, our spine, our feet is another example of a tiny, yet powerful force that has grand potential. This parable teaches that out of little things, big things can grow. It also teaches that something that may seem inconsequential, may one day be beneficial.

The potential for that massive mustard tree can be found within the tiny mustard seed. The potential for a heart or a brain or a lung can be found in a tiny stem cell. What is the potential that is locked up in you? What is the potential that is locked up in me? I don’t think that seeing a tiny mustard seed, many of us could’ve envisioned the giant tree that it could become. Similarly, I think many of us lack the vision to see the ability for growth and capacity for beneficence that each one of us possesses.

By comparing the kingdom itself to the mustard seed, this parable suggests that the kingdom is itself an organism that continues to grow and to become that large tree in which we, like “the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.” Perhaps we too can flourish and grow into the full realization of our potential in the same way that mustard seed flourishes and grows in the earth.

Your Reflection

What do you have the potential to be?
What conditions do you need to create in order to become all that you are meant to be?
Would we treat each other better if we could see not only who we are, but the potential of what we could be?

Week 11: A Man Casting Seed into the Ground

“…So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle because the harvest is come.” Mark 4:26-29

My Reflection

In this parable, the kingdom of God is described as being like a man casting seeds into the ground. The seed then grows unattended. First the blade of the new plant appears, then the ear, and lastly the full ear of corn. When the corn is ripe, the man cuts the plant, because the harvest has arrived.

Similar to the Separating the Tares from the Wheat parable, in this story Jesus refers to a coming harvest. Jesus is showing us how humanity parallels the cycles we see all around us in nature. He seems to be comparing humanity to the seeds that have been cast into the ground. I think he is describing the phases of life and the nature of birth, life, and death. We live and grow from infants, as does the blade of the plant; to children, as does the ear of the plant; to adulthood, as does the full corn in the ear. When our season is over, the harvest comes and our bodies, the plant, is cut down. It describes the temporary nature of our physical lives, and also the common harvest that we will all face.

Your Reflection

Does knowing that we all face a common harvest allow you to look at your fellow man or fellow woman with more empathy?
How does this impact your ability to look at others with less envy or less pride?