Tag: mustard seed

Casting Shade Through A Seed

Today’s reading is Mark 3 and 4. We focus on Mark 4:30-32.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 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.”

Have you have ever thought about the fact that at the time Jesus lived and the Bible was written, they did not even know the land which most of reading this live in, the United State, even existed? Yet, there are now approximately 205 million Christians in the United States which is the largest population of Christians in any one country in the world and just under 2.4 Billion total Christians in the world. This is not to mention all the Christians who once lived and have now “fallen asleep” as Paul and many of the other New Testament writers says. How do this many people come to faith in a man named Jesus who was born not to kings and queens but to little known Joseph and Mary in the small town of Bethlehem? How did the Kingdom of God grow like the mustard seed Jesus describes? Simple…Jesus poured into His 12 disciples and the Holy Spirit did the rest through them.

My question for you today is the following…who are you pouring into so the Kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit can go to work? Yes, we are called to pour into our spouses and our children and help them know and draw nearer to Jesus, but what about those that don’t have a family member in their life. Or, I was just speaking with a few friends recently about how it’s not always a spouse or parent who can help draw someone closer to Jesus or their life’s directions…it’s often a friend or non-family member mentor. They have heard it too much from them..the same things for years. They need to hear it from a different voice and someone else who they connect with. If you’ve ever coached someone, you may have experienced that you keep suggesting they do X. They don’t do it even though you keep telling them. Then, someone else tells them to do X, and they come to you and say, “You know..I was talking to so and so, and they suggested I do X…I really think I should do that.” (Insert hand over face emoji here)

My next question is..are you creating enough buffer in your life to pour into someone who needs it? Or are you telling yourself the same things I do either consciously or subconsciously that you don’t have the time or that it will pull you away from the time you need to spend with your spouse or own children? I’ve made all the same excuses. This is Satan whispering in our ear. We must remember that God has given each one of us a story, our own story, that is part of His bigger story, and I believe each of our individual stories are written to help us reach others who it will resonate with for their salvation and His glory. You could be the voice (or really the Holy Spirt) through you that helps them find Jesus or improve their relationship with their spouse, children, or find the purpose and direction they are looking for. This not only effects them..but their friends and future generations of their family who they may then lead to a better life and salvation in Jesus. There are infinite branches that will come off the tree from the seed that is planted as evidenced through Jesus pouring into just 12 individuals in a little area east of the Mediterranean Sea and the number of followers of Jesus over the last 2000 years since and hundreds of generations in different parts of the world.

The phrase “casting shade” does not have a good meaning in our society today because it references stealing someone’s sunshine so to speak. It means taking away from something good they have done. However, in these verses Jesus just doesn’t talk about the Kingdom of God growing like a tree..but also how that tree helps us find shade in a positive way. It is a place for us to dwell and live that helps protect us from the troubles of this world. Not that we won’t have trouble in this world, but that we know where to go and who to go to..our Savior Jesus. And we know that no matter what troubles we face, our true and final home and resting place when we fall asleep is in Heaven.

Who can you help find some shade by investing a little time and planting a seed?

As Jerry McCorkle, the director of Spread Truth Ministries in Bloomington, IL says, “You never know the power of one conversation.”

 

 

 

Seeing, Hearing and Understanding

“Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.” Matthew 13:10-13

Good morning friends! I had a last minute opportunity to take the McGriff Party of 5 camping this weekend so I’m writing to you from my chair in the woods. If this post smells like a campfire, please grab a marshmallow and enjoy! There is just so much for us to soak up in Matthew 13 but I wanted to write to you today about verses 10-13. When I first read this part of scripture, when I was new to Bible reading I interpreted Jesus’ words differently than I do now. At first I thought Jesus was telling his disciples that not all people are chosen that there are only a few “lucky” ones. Now that I am reading through a different lens, I see that it is usthat must choose Him.

Recently I suffered a great disappointment. And by suffered, I mean suffered. It was the kind thing where I was left feeling singled out, rejected and just plain not worthy. To make things worse, many of my friends were selected to do the thing, the thing that I thought I wanted so badly. When the judgment came down I felt the feels. I cried the tears and mourned the loss. I told myself a story about the loser I am and I believed it. Have you ever told yourself that story? Have you ever thought of yourself as not as good as other Christians? Have you compared yourself to others and thought, I’ll never be as close to God as they are? After losing the thing a few good people in my life talked with me about who I really am. They reminded me that I am a child of God, that I am surrounded by abundance. I prayed and prayed for things to go my way but I wasn’t truly seeing. All of us who give our lives to Jesus have also been given the secret to the kingdom. It isn’t that the disciples were perfect people hand-picked by Jesus to be the perfect Christians. On the contrary, they were imperfect people that gave their life to Christ in an extraordinary, all-in kind of way. They committed despite having to live the everyday reality that we can’t see or hear God’s plan.

When it comes to my big disappointment, what I was lacking is understanding. Ok, maybe I’m still lacking it. Although I can see many great opportunities to be the hands and feet of Jesus in my future, I can’t really understand why God would skip over this one. And although I can hear the encouragement of Christian elders in my life that say, “wait for it, this plan will be revealed it’s just not time yet.” It’s still really hard to understand. What I can take away from our scripture today is that if I make that commitment to follow Him, I will have and experience more abundance in my life. If I choose to turn away, more could be taken from me. The disciples asked Jesus, why he speaks in parables. I think maybe as broken, fallen people we relate more to the story than we do the harsh words of truth. The truth is, I wasn’t chosen this time but I’m always chosen by God. You will always be His child no matter what hurt, sadness, loss or pain you’re experiencing. Jesus still talks with us in parables or stories. When we are willing to share those stories with one another I think we get closer to Him. So, I hope you’ll share your personal parable this week with someone that needs to hear it. I pray that God blesses you with abundance and then more. Have a great (holiday) Monday!