The Power of the Mustard Seed

As a gardener, I tend to deal with seeds, as one might imagine. I don’t know how many of you still grow anything from seed, but it is truly an amazing process. Seeds come in every shape ad size you can imagine! Think first about large seeds. Perhaps an avocado pit, or even a Black Walnut. All can recreate themselves, given the right conditions. Now, look at a smaller seed. Consider a bean seed, or a poppy seed or, even smaller yet, yes, the mustard seed.
Some seeds take forever to frow and need just the perfect light, warmth and moisture. Still others seem to germinate lying on top of the ground. Do you think that we are like the seeds with the way we grow in our faith and walk in Christ Jesus?
Matthew 13:31-32 Here we have the mustard seed. One of the tiniest seeds, and in the right environment grows a plant 5-6 foot tall. Our faith starts out the same way – just a speck is all it takes to get us believing. “Believe with all your heart.” As we allow ourselves to be nurtured by the Holy Spirit through reading the Word, studying, and talking to God, we grow. The trials and victories in our lives make us stand stronger and our roots push deeper. Those we encourage and teach lean on us and perch in our branches like birds in a tree, looking for a little support and protection as they themselves grow. The mustard plant then produces seeds of its own at the right time in its life. Those seeds can fall onto the surrounding rocks, or in the fertile ground beside the original plant or even be carried by a bird or the wind to another place where they will germinate and grow.
I came to this realization one day while watching the wrens sitting on the dried tops of my Echinacea in the garden. They were jostling the frozen heads and the seeds were falling out allover and then they picked some out themselves and ate them or carried them off, dropping some as they went. How interesting it is how nature takes care of itself whether we pay attention or not. How nice it was to see God in my garden today.