Planting our seeds

^” And he said, “With what can we compare the Kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” Mark 4:30-32 (ESV)

Most believers are aware that Jesus often used parables in His teaching. He tried to use simple items and situations of His surrounding to illustrate biblical truths. Some present-day Christians question whether these teaching are applicable in our modern day world. In the parable cited above He tries to point out small beginning as being important seems to lack credence in our today’s world wherein stress is on “bigger is better” and “power is the key to success”. These twin foci result in the admiring the famous and powerful and depreciating the efforts of those who are considered as “of little or no importance”. His parable challenges this type of thinking.

Jesus suggests that it isn’t necessarily the big and powerful who advance His kingdom but rather those seemingly small contributions of each of us. How does this message relate to each of us? Might He being saying that even our smallest acts have the potential of producing a great result? If so, what small seeds can we begin planting today? Could we react more compassionately to the needs of the poor and consequently discover why Jesus was so concerned with their well-being? Might we plant seeds of kindness by spending time with those who are ailing or lonely? If we do so, we will more fully grasp what Jesus was trying to tell His past and present-day followers about advancing His Kingdom here on earth. Surely, the combination of each of our “plantings” regardless how small will result in His vision of how His followers are to carry on His work.