Third Discourse in Matthew: There's a fungus amongst us

(Jesus) put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.” ~ Matthew 13:31-33

Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. ~ Wikipedia

In addition to tiny seed mustard seeds turning into huge trees, another variety of the mustard plant is more like a wild, unruly shrub which takes over everything, much like a weed does.

 Yeast is a fungus that turns batter into something delicious.

 The kingdom of heaven is like a weed. It's like a fungus.

 Why would Jesus paint such a seemingly unflattering portrait of the Kingdom? Why not some pretty, comforting metaphor?

 Weeds and fungus aren't pretty!

 What what they are are persistent. Invasive. They completely take over! 

 And though not pretty, they are capable of making something wonderful, beautiful, and/or useful.

 Imagine that. Taking something unpleasant, unpretty, unloving, unhelpful, unyielding...

 Something messy. Something considered the worst...

 And using that to make something new and better.

 The Kingdom isn't what we expect. It isn't a pretty palace in the sky, or a cloud land of cherubs and harps.

 It's messy and its complicated. And overwhelming.

 So overwhelming that it can take our messiness and turn it into something beautiful.
Meditation: Where is a place recently where I've seen God's messiness bringing life and beauty?





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