Tuesday 11 October 2022

Psalm 75:1-7

Background

You may know the quote sometimes attributed to the Dalai Lama: “If you think you are too small to be effective, try sleeping with a mosquito"! Both of today’s parables affirm the same truth. Small things can have a huge effect. The smallest of seeds can become the greatest of trees. A little bit of yeast can leaven a whole loaf of bread.  

I find it very reassuring that Jesus uses such examples to describe the kingdom of heaven. Sometimes we assume that the kingdom of heaven requires huge resources and giant strides that most of us don’t feel equipped to make. But if, as suggested here, we can start with something tiny and ordinary, then we may feel more able to play our part.

In these days of climate change, planting a tree is one very small but practical and achievable way of bringing the kingdom of heaven closer. The same is true of baking a loaf of bread and sharing it with someone, or buying a few extra items at the supermarket to donate to the local food bank. Such actions may seem inadequate and ineffective to us, but they can make a big difference.

Again, as yesterday, these parables are about growth. Growth implies a process. We start small and gradually get bigger. We might be feeling rather despondent at the moment because the reverse process seems to be happening in our Church. We are getting smaller, not bigger. However, there are always little things we can do with the resources which we do have. We don’t have to plant a forest. We can plant a single tree. We don’t have to feed the world. We can feed one family.

To Ponder:

• When have you experienced the huge effect that something small has made?
• What small signs of the kingdom of heaven have you seen recently?

Prayer

God, who created the mustard seed and the mosquito: show me what small step I can take today so that your kingdom may come on earth as in heaven. Amen.