The Small Stuff
Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43
I have never really understood why Jesus spent time talking about children. As far as we know he didn’t have any. And we never read that he was fond of babysitting or that he found time to pass his days with the children on his block in Nazareth. Given that he was not married and didn’t have children in his care, it would have been quite significant in his time to be telling the world that children know something special about the Kingdom of God. But he did it anyway. He made a point of welcoming them to him even when his friends told him that he was crazy and that he shouldn’t waste his time. When the disciples tried to prevent the children from making their way to Jesus, he rebukes them and goes on to tell them that they better pay attention because “whoever does not receive the realm of God like a child, shall not enter it.” But it turns out that Jesus spent quite a bit of time not only talking about children but about things that we might call, well, “small.” He talked about children and things like seeds and yeast and small birds like sparrows. Jesus was fond of pointing out the significance of things we human beings tend to overlook- he made a point of directing our attention to all of the things we are likely to pass, on our way to more important ground. Jesus it seems loved to lift up the small stuff.
I suppose it isn’t all that unusual to celebrate the little things in life. Such sentiments are at the heart of all kinds of motivational speaking and children’s books. A person cannot travel very long in philanthropic or non-profit circles without hearing the words of Mother Teresa, "There are no great acts; just small acts filled with love." But what makes Jesus’ focus on the little things so startling is that frequently after he talked about the small stuff, he then directs our eyes to the Kingdom of Heaven. He says, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like this. “
Last week we listened to Jesus offer us more questions than answers. And this week we find him yet again mired in the world of parable. It is basically the same pattern as his other parables in Matthew. He tells the story, the group gathered struggles to understand, so he tells it again but with more of an edge and often in a tone of anger. He says that the “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.” And then he goes on, “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.” It is no surprise that the disciples were confused. We can nearly picture their puzzled looks. They were probably expecting Jesus to say that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a castle, surrounded with golden gates with turrets jutting to the clouds. They were expecting Jesus to say that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a throne adorned with jewels and the finest cloth or that the Kingdom of Heaven is like the highest mountain overlooking the widest and deepest canyon. So imagine their disappointment when Jesus holds up a seed, a seed, and says that the Kingdom of Heaven is like this. It almost feels like reading the final chapter of a spectacular book only to find that the ending leaves us wanting. It is such an anticlimactic moment. There is no bang; with a fireworks display exploring every color in the spectrum. The Kingdom of Heaven is like this! There is no flash or glamour and it isn’t the stuff of dreams. The Kingdom of Heaven is like this…
But it’s difficult to think small. Have you noticed that? We live in a country where average portion sizes can nearly feed a family and buying in bulk is the norm. It is hard to buy just one of anything or to request a mini allotment. We drive big cars, live in big houses and require supersized everything. The message that continues to flash is “big is better” and it often feels as if this is supposed to apply to our lives as well. We want to live a life that matters, a big life- a life that could make its mark on the map of human history. And then Jesus comes along and starts talking about things like pebbles and yeast and children and sparrows and seeds- the really small stuff. Yet Jesus never equated small with insignificant, in fact it appears as if Jesus believed profoundly that the real gems in life, those moments and experiences that make an imprint on the human heart are usually the ones that barely make a splash at all.
To be sure it is not as if Jesus didn’t long for vast and sweeping change or large and profound shifts in human existence; rather that is exactly what he wanted. He wanted big things to happen, things that he probably knew he would not see in his lifetime. He wanted the hungry to be fed, the poor to have shelter and the humble to be exalted. He wanted the sick to be healed and the powerful to be humbled. He wanted big things, really big things. But when you are trying to paint a picture of a world you know that those around you cannot yet see or feel or imagine, it makes sense to pick up a seed and start mapping out the garden of justice. And that’s just what he did. He started with the small stuff.
It is both challenging and obvious. Of course the journey of a thousand miles begin with just one step, but how many of us struggle to take that step simply because we cannot imagine the destination? How many of us wrestle with the day and day out because we just want to arrive at the significant, the big- the meaningful without all of the small stuff in between? The small stuff requires more of us. Children require a lot of attention, yeast needs to rise and be tended, seeds need to be planted and watered and watched. There is a reason he pointed to the small stuff. The truth is, the small stuff is more difficult but it is the only way to arrive at the place Jesus invites us.
Once a month a small but faithful group from our church gathers to lead a communion service at the Harborside Nursing Home. It is not entirely clear how much the residents are able to comprehend and some of them seem to be there simply to have a good seat for lunch. This past week, one of the women in the back kept shouting “shut up” with all the voice she could manage while a sweet woman in the front offered, “And also with you” in a sing-song tone. In the eyes of the “big is better” world, our monthly gatherings are hardly a success. We don’t attract a particularly large group and for the most part, we are the ones who actually do the singing. We offer communion and most of the residents are not sure what we are doing other than offering some moist bread for their dry mouths. But the Kingdom of Heaven is like this… In the front left of the cafeteria turned sanctuary sits Jim and Louise. Jim is never quite sure what is going on. His head is lowered most of the time and his eyes are closed. And by his side sits Louise. She visits Jim every single day for lunch. She prays with him and feeds him; she raises his head and reports to him the goings on of the world. She comes to sit with him in the winter, when her bones are aching from the cold and driving is difficult. She comes to sit with him in the spring when the rain is coming down hard. She comes to sit with him in the summer when the sun is hot and the heat is getting to her. She comes to be with Jim. Day in and day out Louise says yes to the promises she made decades ago to walk faithfully with him until death. There is no flash or glamour and it isn’t the stuff of dreams. The Kingdom of Heaven is like this…
The Kingdom of Heaven swells and wells and swirls in the monotony, in those tiny cracks where we find ourselves on the edge of no- on the verge of trying to avoid the significant steps along the way. It isn’t especially enchanting, in fact for most of us it is only when we look back that there appears to be much allure at all.
There is a reason Jesus picked up a seed. He could have held up the mustard leaf or the mustard plant or spoke about the rolling hills covered in mustard. But he held up a seed. The Kingdom of Heaven is like this, a seed. It is already here and yet to bloom. But start here, begin with this, you have what you need to do the rest. Turn your heart to the small stuff. Amen.