Today’s scripture: Matthew 13:33 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Genese Parker):
For several years after college, I worked as a campus minister in Bloomington, Indiana. During this time, I had several roommates, one of whom, Dee, enjoyed baking. This was a great perk that often smoothed over any of the stress or strain that is inevitable when two, or four, adults live under the same roof. Specifically, we had the pleasure of home-made bread every week! My roommate’s family passed down a family yeast from generation to generation. Dee explained to me that her great-grandmother had gotten a yeast from her mother and passed it down. The family tradition had continued for at least four generations, to her knowledge. I remember the day that she got her share of the family yeast. I was slightly confused. I did not understand how it was possible for her to take half of the yeast that her mother had and still be in a situation where both of them were able to bake bread.
Dee explained to me that over time, if she took care of the yeast properly, i.e. kept it refrigerated and added sugar to it once a week, the yeast would continue to grow. Over time it would grow so large that it would become too much for the jar that contained it. She explained that if the yeast was not divided at that point, it would die. Dee said that she could make bread every two days and still the yeast would grow faster than she would be able to bake or than we would be able to eat. For this reason, she would eventually give a portion of the yeast to her two sisters, and one day to her future daughter.
When I think of Matthew 13:33, “He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough,” I am reminded of how quickly yeast grows. It only took Dee a small amount (about a teaspoon) to make a loaf of bread. So if the kingdom of heaven is like yeast, then that means a little goes a long way. As followers of Christ, we are invited to participate in God’s plan to usher in the kingdom of heaven, so that God’s will can be done on earth as it is in heaven. Every little bit that we are able to do to advance God’s kingdom goes a long way. Just a little bit of kindness, a little bit of love, just a little bit of compassion, a little bit of justice will get us closer to experiencing the kingdom of heaven here on earth.
Questions of the Day: What might God be calling you to do, in order to advance God’s kingdom so that God’s will can be done here on earth as it is in heaven? Are there small ways that you can show love, compassion, or kindness to the people around you? How is God inviting you to advocate for justice for those who are too often silenced in our communities?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.