Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~Leo Buscaglia
Reading the Gospel of Matthew 13:24-43 inspires me to do small acts of kindness and love and not discount the power of each little act. You never know how your smile may change someone’s day from sad to happy. I have had my day changed by one small comment or action. I remember how all day long I thought about what someone, a stranger, said to me and I would smile. Moving on from that moment in my day I was inclined to pass that happiness and kindness on to many others, many, I’m sure, passed it along to someone else, and so on. One small act rippled out and affected many, many people on that day.
That is the parable of the mustard seed and the yeast. A mustard seed is practically as small as a grain of yeast. Both the seed and the yeast yield surprisingly large results! A mustard plant grows to be about 4 –5 feet tall, a loaf of bread more than doubles in size from the dough you begin with and to which you add the tiny yeast.
The reign of heaven is already within us and among us. It is so small that we hardly notice it and yet it will yield huge results. It is within us to grow the tiny seed into a large plant by spreading the love of God with others through our acts, our words and our prayers. What is so hard about that? What is so hard about loving one another as Jesus loves us?
It is hard sometimes to love some people. They make themselves very difficult to love because they are grouchy and even mean. I know people like that and I always greet them in a way that says, “Hello my friend! I am so happy to see you!” and I am sincere in that act. I really don’t hate these people, I actually feel sorry that they spend so much time being angry that they are missing out on some really beautiful moments in life. I know that my loving attitude has turned some hardened hearts a little softer. And if I feel sometimes like they will just never come around to being pleasant, happy and loving people I don’t let them know I feel that way, I just keep loving them.
God’s power is like the yeast. It’s magical the way that the yeast causes the bread to grow in size. Yes, we can explain the science and bio/chemical reactions that are taking place that cause this effect, but it is no less amazing to witness and it is still a miracle! It is still wondrous! A little of God’s power in our life grows, and grows in the same miraculous way too!
One day Jesus will reap the harvest of our world. He will bring in the large, healthy mustard plants grown from the tiny, tiny seed and he will leave behind the weeds that attempted to choke out the mustard plants. We want to be among the mustard plants and we want as many of those plants to grow as possible! A very tiny seed becomes a very large productive bush! If enough mustard plants grow they can choke out the weeds.
The Psalm this week is Psalm 86: Lord, You are Good and Forgiving
Have a blessed week! Pass on a small mustard seed of happiness and love to someone each day this week and watch it grow!