Luke: 13: 18-21
The Mustard Seed and the Leaven
18 He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”
20 And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”
Two small items, a mustard seed, one of the tiniest seeds, and a bit of leaven. Any gardener or chef (even an amateur who has dabbled with yeast) has met the potential of these tiny items to grow into something much larger, a tall bush, or a loaf of bread. Always a wonder to remind us that in our spiritual lives, we don't begin at the top, but by slow stages move from the tiny beginning to the larger end. The growth cycle takes time, patience and trust. With the right ingredients and right temperature, the seed sprouts and the batch of thick dough expands and doubles, if not triples in size. Punch it down, and it rises again. How many restarts have we attempted with prayer, or with our attempts to avoid gossip or be charitable in thought and speech? Each new beginning represents some progress, so let us banish "Demon Discouragement" and realize that we will eventually reach our goal. "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again" ... an adage we learned in early childhood but still holds true in our adult lives.
Bro. Rene
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