Matthew 13:33-35
Through stories, Jesus tells the crowds that the way God works is so different from what they have known. We fret over our amount of influence. We like big. God cares about small. The power of God’s love and redemption is revealed in the power of some of the smallest things.
Jesus is hanging out beside the sea on a hill covered in wildflowers. “Look at these plants,” he tells them. “The kingdom is like someone haphazardly scattering seeds, without much plan or intention.” Picture taking a dandelion and blowing the white fluffy seeds off. You drop those seeds, then carry on with your life. You eat, sleep, drink water, go for walks, clean the house, share tea with neighbors, and mostly forget about those seeds you dropped last Tuesday. You’re not even watering them, but they grow anyway.
Jesus says that nothing we do on our own makes the kingdom materialize. The needed ingredient for growth is hidden—like yeast in dough or a small seed on the ground. The growth of God’s kingdom depends on God’s work. In fact, it is good when we rest and just come around to bear witness to it.
So we learn to step away and sleep when we need to. We give and love generously, then pause in silence when we’re not quite sure what to do next. God’s redeeming love grows and moves wildly, filling in our gaps and healing us, even while we’re standing still, even while we’re hopeless, even while we’re scared.
We do what we can and bring what we have. Then, when we let go, the sun continues to rise, and God continues to be God: bringing creation from nothing because the growth we most need depends on God.
Consider
Where have you witnessed God’s seeds growing lately?
Pray
God, give me eyes to see your kingdom sprouting up all around me. Grow my wonder of the power of small things. Amen.