PARABLES OF THE MUSTARD SEED AND THE YEAST

Hal looks out his office window and feels his muscles relaxed. He has been stressed lately concerning a big tender with promise of a multi-million dollar deal. On the outside, his eyes lock on a well-crafted landscape and a neatly arranged beautiful trees and flowers of various shapes and sizes. He releases a smile, a rarity not so long ago.

Two years ago, Hal got into trouble with the authority regarding his premises. His medium size company dealing with health products had acquired a small piece of land some time ago in its expansion plan. Business was dwindling and many staffs were leaving. Cardiox Co. suffered badly with its appearance image. Outside the new premises were strewn with rocks of all sizes and unsightly weeds. The fencing surrounding the compound faced with uneven grounds encroached on the already cramped parking spaces for its workers.

Inside the warehouse, products shipped in were stacked everywhere and lumped into a mess. Even the offices were strewn with products by sales personnel. And Hal was hesitant to sound the alarm as he was afraid to displease his key people. He knew of the struggle they had been after shifting to the new building.

Hal hears a knock on his door. “Come on in,” he calls out and looks at his watch. A well-built middle aged man carries a fresh pot of sun flower strolls in. “Good Morning, Sir!” he greets his Boss gleefully. This man is punctuality par excellence! Tyler is referred to as ‘The Gardener’ by everyone in the company. “Fresh and beautiful for your room,” he speaks with a grin. “Thank you so much, Tyler!” Hal responds delightedly.

Today, the company has become famous for being one of the neatest and ‘greenest’ working environments in the city. Hal considers ‘The Gardener’ as more than a ground staff, he is a key- personnel. All the staff just admires his gentle personality, and the dedication to his work. No one actually spotted a slight complain from him. When Tyler came in, he was just a lowly staff in charge of the grounds outside, whatever he could do to make the environment a little more conducive. Little did Hal know that the lowly worker could bring in such massive change to the entire company.

“Tyler, remember to come for our weekend Annual Dinner,” Hal invites him cordially. “Thank you, Boss. I'll be there,” the big man responds positively, as usual.

“Welcome everyone to our Annual Dinner of Cardiox Co!” shouts the MC. “Tonight is gonna be a good good night! Can everyone shout Yeah!” he adds enthusiastically. The small but solid crowd shouts in unison. “First, we want to say a big “Thank You” to Mr. Haley Ross for tonight’s dinner. Put our hands together to welcome on stage, our Boss!” Everyone gives Hal a standing ovation and a long thunderous applause.

“Thank you! Thank you! First of all, I want to say that you guys and gals and your family members here are not only part of this company as my staff, you are family,” he speaks emotionally. “But tonight I call for celebration for one reason and one reason alone,” he continues softly. Then two persons come on stage carrying a huge banner. As they unfurl it, the crowd sit in utter silence. The words read, “THANK YOU TO ‘THE GARDENER’”.

Tyler and his family sit quietly too, stare at the banner in unbelief. One person from the back stands up and starts to clap loudly. Then, the whole crowd stands up clapping and cheering loudly. Many whistle in approval. Mr Haley asks to quiet down so that he can speak again.

“Tyler, I want to confess one thing tonight. It is you that turns this company to where it is today. I was clueless at what to do before you came in and I seriously wanted to close down Cardiox Co. And then you came, started changing things little by little to what it is today. You are our miracle. And I just adore those words of yours, ‘Just Green Up!’” he speaks to the loud cheers from the floor.

Then one Shelly stands up, waving her hand to speak. “Tyler, that day my two children came into my office and asked who did all the flowers arrangement here. They were so impressed with my room, they promised to clean up and “green” up their rooms too. Thank you, Tyler!”

One by one stands up to offer praise to Tyler for helping them.

Tyler is already tearing before he is called to speak on the stage. “I thank you all for honouring me tonight. I am just a man who wants to do his best in any given work.”Hal comes on stage and hands him an envelope. He opens it up and finds a 20% share of the year company’s profit.

Hal pats his shoulders and says, “This is a gift for you, from me with the approval from all your colleagues!”

The parable of the Mustard Seed is found in Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32 and Luke 13:18-19 while the parable of the Yeast is found in Matthew 13:33 and Luke 13:20-21.

Jesus often chooses common things to bring out His message such as the mustard seed and yeast. Straightaway the people connect with his story about small things. Mustard seed is not the smallest seed at that time (the Cypress seed is) but it is well known and it does depict smallness very well. It is a miracle that a small seed like this could grow into such a large shrub. Mustard also talks about influence with its pungent taste. The same goes with yeast, using it for making bread, the staple diet of the day.

These two parables speak of small beginnings but the end product is influential. One grows into a large shrub or a tree that even birds perch on its branches. One permeates into large amount of flour (this woman is probably a baker and not any ordinary housewife) and becomes bread, the end product that makes many fresh and strong.

Every radical idea starts with a small spark for it to fire up. The kingdom of God starts with twelve unschooled disciples of Christ and ends up today with billions.

One woman known to be a woman with great faith but she humbly said, “I am not the woman with great faith. I am a woman with little faith in a great God!”

Let us not despise our own small beginnings with God! In these parables, God wants us, sons and daughters of the kingdom to continue to be an influence in the world. We may be like a single mustard seed, hardly noticeable but when it is planted in Christ, we can be a power house! Like the parable of the Yeast, little by little, bit by bit, the whole dough will be ‘yeasted’ and made into fresh bread for weary souls!

Today, are we a fresh bread like Christ? Or are we stale like the world which keeps churning immorality, thinking it is spiritual food?

Next: Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
http://psbible.blogspot.com/2010/04/parables-of-hidden-treasure-and-pearl.html