July 23rd Weekly Word
Lasting Growth
"Jesus put before the crowds another parable: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it 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.'"
Have you ever considered the wonder of seeds? Put a tiny little speck in the dirt, and you could have a tree that towers overhead. Of course, it doesn't happen over night. And you couldn't discern any movement or growth if you set up camp and watched a seed or sapling. It's a slow process, incremental even. And that's one of the points Jesus is making in the parable of the mustard seed.
God's kingdom grows slowly, like a tree. The disciples needed to hear this because yes, they saw fruit from their labor. But all of them were persecuted and most died as they proclaimed the gospel. The seed Jesus planted had taken root in their hearts and through them in the world. But they wouldn't see the fullness of of their labors in their lifetime. It did come, however, and has since spread to the ends of the earth.
Friends, we need to take this parable to heart. God's ways are not the ways of our "insta" society. The kingdom of heaven is not like a drive-thru where we get what we want in 10 minutes. Much less is it like a smartphone, where a click takes us immediately to the desired domain.
No. Jesus says it's like a tree that starts out as a seed which slowly and steadily grows to maturity. And if we take this parable seriously, we must acknowledge that real and lasting kingdom growth comes not from incorporating worldly strategies that promote instant growth or satisfaction. But rather it happens as we adopt the daily and weekly rhythms of prayer, worship, and community that facilitate deep, rooted growth which flourishes over time.
As we commit to this, I know we can trust that God will grow his kingdom in our hearts and in our midst. It might take longer than had we hoped. But that's okay because growth is a process, and it's in the process where we experience deep connection to God and his people.
Darin+