In Matthew 13.31-32, Jesus uses an illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches."
This past week my family hosted some friends for dinner who will be relocating soon to North Carolina. As we laughed and talked I thought about the journey of our friendship. We met soon after my family moved to Springfield. My girls were very young and interested in ballet. Miss Cathryn was their first teacher in Springfield. Soon after meeting her, she married Mr. Andy, and we were at the wedding. Along the way, Anna and I took a trip out of state, and this young couple came to stay with our four kids. When we returned, Mr. Andy asked if our kids could be in one of the shows he was directing through Springfield Little Theatre. (That one show has turned into more than we can count.)
Along the way Mr. Andy and Miss Cathryn gave life to three boys. Those boys are young adventurous souls, and when we are together, much revelry ensues. In their presence, there is joy. In their presence, they also give me a gift, of imagining a next chapter of my life, what being a grandfather might be like. From one small act. . .of taking ballet classes unrolled a good kind of life we had no clue awaited us. There is a panoply of joys - especially on that night when I took the boys for tractor rides. (See pic)
Reflecting on this relationship, I was drawn into Jesus parable of the mustard seed and how it reveals God’s kingdom. Starting out small, and then growing into a profound blessing to countless birds and beloved creatures of God.I’ve been reminded of stories many of you have shared with me about small steps of faith and how God has taken you on an incredible journey. I think about the events and ministries taking place around the Schweitzer campus; of people loving and being loved by Jesus in small ways, and then the incredible fruit of the Spirit that emerges in their lives. The Kingdom of God, of joy and peace, of restfulness in Christ, of sacrificial compassion, and investing in community; most often starts with something small and non-descript.
The kingdom lies ready, like a seed awaiting soil and rain, and when we take up and read the Bible in a regular routine, or we begin to pray, or we start having Christian conversations, or we sing along with the songs of worship, or we take pictures at church, or become a reading buddy, or make an offering to God . . . God’s good and beautiful Kingdom begins to take root in our hearts, and before long, the small seed is a tree. I encourage you to notice and name the gifts of the Kingdom God has planted and grown along your way. In doing so, we give a witness to God’s faithfulness and goodness, to others and ourselves, for those moments when life is hard and overwhelming.
May you rejoice in the countless trees that surround you. I also encourage you to take what may look like a small step of faith today - you never know where Christ may be leading you, or the treasures of the kingdom that will unfold. This I know is true, with small seeds of faith, the Lord creates incredible joy.
I hope you are looking forward to Sunday, when we gather in worship. Something special awaits us!
Pastor Jason
17 June 2022
Like a Mustard Seed . . .
04 October 2021
A missed friendship, something I regret
This past weekend I attended the wedding of one of my nephews. The wedding was held near the area of my youth. When I get that close to 'home,' I always find it interesting who or what might rise to the surface that takes me by surprise. This time it was connecting with an old foe at the wedding, and a lament that I can't shake.
I was seated at a table talking with my brother-in-law when my dad approached and asked if I remembered a certain guy who was my same age who went to another school in the county? I said, sure I remember the name. Then my dad said, "he's here, let me make an introduction."
Before I knew it, there we were, two guys who had competed against one another 30+ years ago on several fields of sport, talking about life, our families, and the things that have transpired over those 30 years.
When we were younger I can't remember ever having had a conversation off the field. I knew the names of our opponents, their faces, what school they went to. Maybe, we'd run into one another at the county fair, or an FFA event, but generally our schools, at least the way I experienced it, was something like a closed community. We talked within our community, and competed with those around us. Conversations were limited; competition was prized. Friendship was within the tribe who wore your colors; it had little extension beyond the clan.
Many moons later, I find myself lamenting the parochial approach that I assented to as a teenager. The pride I felt for the particular place I was from, and the little school I went to, often kept me from seeing and connecting with others who also shared the same neighborhood. We shared so many of the same experiences, yet a tribalism persisted that walled us off from developing healthy competition that could build wider bonds of friendship that would be generative for the whole community. I'm not even sure that the tribalism was favored or curried among the adults, or even shared by anyone else; I just know it was deep in my own heart.
I left the wedding, grateful that a couple of guys who used to be foes could connect and talk about the marvelous dimensions of life that have transpired over the past 30 years. I also felt a real sadness, as if there wasn't just one, but many missed friendships along the way, because I lived with a heart and mind that had boundaries where there could have been joyous exploration.
On further reflection, I'm really grateful for the work of God's grace in my own life. God's grace in the past 30 years has begun to pry open my heart to observe and celebrate the manifold image of God imparted in every person; which makes everyone incredibly interesting. This deeper interest makes it hard for me to depart conversations; a real thorn in the flesh of my kids, but it has helped me see how grand and brilliance is the creation of God.