Mustard Seeds and Leaven

 

He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 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.” And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.” (Luke 13:18-21 ESV).

 

Actor Bill Glass plays Dr. Rick for Progressive Insurance’s recent ad campaign.  In the commercial he plays a tough-love Dr. Phil type who helps Millennials and GenXers avoid taking on their parents’ behaviors when they buy (and insure) their first homes. It has been delighting audiences for over a year now. Not only have the Dr. Rick spots managed to stand out in TV’s strange, highly competitive world of humorous insurance ads (packed as it is with Progressive’s Flo and her colleagues, State Farm’s Jake, Liberty Mutual’s LiMu Emu, Geico’s pun-happy new homeowners and President Palmer from “24” forever selling Allstate), these ads have carved out a space for themselves in the cultural lexicon of the moment that’s rare for an ad campaign: “You need Dr. Rick” has become affectionate shorthand for “You’ve become everything that irritated you about your dad.” Fans use the memes and tweets daily by the thousands. Who would have thought such a small thing could become such a big thing?

 

Yet, that’s the way of many things. Little things can often turn into big things. This is at the heart of Jesus’ parables in our reading today. According to the Lord Jesus, God’s kingdom here on earth is like a mustard seed, which starts out very small and can grow into a tree. Or, it is like leaven (yeast), which only requires a small amount to affect the entire recipe. It points to our effort in life. Sometimes our efforts seem so small and insignificant. It is too easy to devalue the small things in life. What good does a simple smile really do in response to others? What good is that kind gesture or encouraging greeting to some stranger? What difference does it make to really inquire how someone is doing and then listen to their concerns?

 

These, and hundreds more, can and do make an incredible difference in the lives of others. Reread today’s parable and be assured that the Lord Jesus can turn even our smallest ­efforts into something great for his kingdom! As someone put it, “Of course you can’t do everything, but you can do something!”