Don’t underestimate the small and insignificant ways of God.
These are not easy parables to grasp. I don’t think Jesus wanted them to be easy – that is his point! We have to dig deep and let his words transform how we understand God’s work in our world and in our lives. To begin with, these are parables about the Kingdom of God or life under God’s rule. This includes your life but is so much bigger.
As you listen to Jesus tell each parable remember this: On the world stage at the time, Palestine (where Jesus lives) is less than an insignificant place. Israel is no longer a real nation but a people who have been ruled by the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks and now are under the iron foot of the Roman Empire. Then here comes Jesus, a Jew, from the small insignificant town of Nazareth. He has no military aspirations and his followers are insignificant at best and outcasts at worst. Not much to see and for those whose ears are deaf to God, not the grandiose work of the Lord that was expected by many. “Move on folks, nothing to see here.”
Then Jesus proclaims in Mark 1:15, “’The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’” Jesus speaks of humility, of loving enemies, of serving others. Then he is crucified! A dead “Messiah” or “anointed on sent by God” is no Messiah at all. Just an insignificant teacher who got himself killed. “Move on folks, nothing to see here.”
Ah, but for those with ears to hear God in the small and the insignificant, for those are willing to pay the cost to listen deeper to Jesus and then to follow – ah, “Folks, drop everything, this it really the good news!”
Amen for now,
