Mustard Seeds and Orchids

Mark 4:30-32 - Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

 

I don’t know why, when I read this passage this time, the question hit me, “are mustards seeds actually the smallest seeds on earth?”  I did a little research and it turns out the answer is “no.”  When Jesus told this story, we did not have microscopes, but there are many kinds of seeds that too small to see.  The ones I read most about are orchid seeds.  Just one gram of the smallest orchid seeds contain 3-4 million seeds.  Only the smallest fraction of these seeds ever become beautiful orchids, which are among the largest flowers in nature.  If you ever buy some really high-quality vanilla ice cream, you will notice that there are small dark flecks in the tasty treat.  Those flecks are vanilla orchid seeds.   

We shouldn’t make too much of the fact that Jesus states that mustard seeds are the smallest on earth. They may have been the smallest known seeds on earth at the time.   Jesus told parables using the common knowledge of His day.  The point here is one we could make with mustard seeds or orchid seeds.  I actually like using both together.  Both mustard and orchid seeds are crazy small and grow into surprising large plants/flowers.  Mustard plants are sometimes called trees because they grow so strong and sturdy that a bird can rest and take shelter on it’s branches.  The kingdom Jesus is ushering in is so small in his telling of this story, but he sees what it will become – one of largest religions on earth, providing shelter to close to 2 billion people now.  Adding the image of the orchid to this, the kingdom has become something of amazing beauty out of seeds that were “invisible” before. 

The parable highlights another aspect of the same reality that we spoke about last time with the farmer planting seeds.  Because God is the driving force of the kingdom, something infinitesimally small can be made into a world-changing movement.  We should never underestimate what God can do with almost nothing.  He created all that is out of nothing, so mustard and orchid seeds are a cakewalk.  Imagine what God could do with a person who is completely submitted to the purpose for which they were created.

 

Question:  How often do you underestimate what Giod can do with a specific person, community, and/or situation?

 

Prayer:  God or mustard seeds, exquisite orchids, world-changing communities, inspire us to trust you when it seems we feel don’t have enough or we believe are not enough.  Amen.

 

Prayer Focus:  Pray for those in our society that most people never see – the homeless and those in prison.

 

Song:  Mustard Seed - David Ashley Trent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS6Er6I2nbM