Surfing the Inner N8

Matthew 13:31-32: “He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.  Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.’”

This is one of Jesus’ most interesting descriptions of the kingdom of heaven, especially when considering other things He said about seeds.

In Matthew 17:20 He says: “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain,  ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you.”  In John 12:24, Jesus says: “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” Other places in Scripture carry the symbolism of seeds even much further.

A seed is a great symbol for the economics of the kingdom of God.  What is smallest becomes biggest.  What is last becomes first, and what is least becomes greatest.  Something tiny dies and results in a life-giving harvest.  The smallest measurable amount of faith can move mountains.  A seed.  Jesus says the kingdom of heaven is like that.

It’s interesting that the Kingdom grows.  It is still being built.  It is still growing within me, and God wants to use me to spread the seed and have His kingdom grow by taking root in the hearts of others.