Follow And Listen

Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the Kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.” 

He said, “To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” 

With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private. (Mark 4:26-34)

Years ago I had two huge pine trees removed from my front yard, so no more raking needles covering and hindering my lawn I tried to make flourish.  Once gone, the grass was green, and mowing tall grass was possible.  At the same time a small pine tree about one foot tall had established itself at the front of my lawn.  Cute.  I let it grow.  Before I realized, it stood 30 feet tall, and the needles were back in all their glory.  It grew so tall, I know not how.  Yes, I do; I spared the axe.

We all are like my pine tree or Jesus’ wheat plant and mustard tree.  We can needle and aggravate people, feed people, or shelter those in need.   It’s a matter of our choice.  Do we promote the Kingdom of God or do we undermine it?  Do we leave people out in the hot sun, or do we give them shade?  Do we swing an axe?

For many of us, we experience a slow progression from selfishness to generosity, from a cold and hard heart to an open and warm one.  We start as seeds; then we sprout to become a blade and then a full grain in the ear to bear fruit.  Perhaps that is a mark of maturity we acquire when we age and decide to follow and listen to Jesus.

Deacon David Pierce