18 January 2011 Devotion for Today "Mustard Seed Faith, Part II" Mark 4:30-32

18 January 2011 Devotion for Today "Mustard Seed Faith, Part II" Mark 4:30-32


30 Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.” Mark 4:30-32


Several years ago while living in Germany, I was a passenger on a shuttle bus going to the Frankfurt Airport. I was sitting near the front, close to the driver and front windshield. The shuttle bus was involved in a minor accident. A car in another lane was crossing several other lanes of traffic, trying desperately to merge into the lane our bus was in; side-swiping us as it tried to lurch ahead of us. The bus driver slammed on the breaks trying not to hit the vehicle again. The driver of the other car exited her vehicle and became angry and animated. Our driver got out and began inspecting the damage done to his shuttle. Within a few moments, the police arrived; taking statements from both drivers, as well as the passenger in the other vehicle. The police climbed aboard and took a statement from me. However, the police found the driver of the shuttle bus at fault. I surmised it was because he was Turkish and I was an American and the driver and the other passenger were German. A sad reality but what we had here was one incident, but four different stories. When I questioned the Polizei officer writing the Turkish bus driver the citation, he said in German: "In every accident there are several viewpoints: what you say happened, what they say happened, what you would like to think happened, and what really happened!" I suppose he was correct on that statement. Everyone told the truth (I hoped) as they saw the situation- but the facts of all four stories were not quite the same.


This Scripture is a variation of the one I shared with you yesterday from Matthew 13. The differences in the telling of these two parables seems slight and has more to do with emphasis than it does contributing facts. However, unlike the incident of the bus crash I told above, the varying facts in the telling of this parable from three different writers do not change the truth of it. First of all, Matthew speaks of an actual person physically taking the seed and planting it in a field- as a deliberate act; whereas Mark gives the impression that the mustard seed's presence was incidental- as if it were scattered and laying on the ground rather than planted deliberately in the earth. Luke's gospel also tells of a man who takes the mustard seed and puts it in his garden: a fact that both Luke, Mark, and Matthew do not tell us about the ownership of this plot of ground- that it belongs to the one actually doing the planting.


Also, the writers emphasize the growth of the mustard seed in several different ways. One speaks of the large branches where another just focuses on the tree itself. Still another highlights the fact that the birds come and rest in the shade which the branches produce- a fact that the other two parables leave out.


What is the point that I am drawing out here? First of all, as God conveys truth through the inspiration of His Word through the Gospel writers, He shows us that God's truth about some things is so much greater than what one man can convey alone. Secondly, the total Truth is greater than the sum of the facts combined. Thirdly, while the facts are important, it is what we do with what we know that truly matters. Who cares about how one writer talks about branches and another talks about shade? It doesn't if our faith does not grow which is the point of this parable which three writers recorded Jesus teaching.


As I leave you today, please reflect upon these questions. What difference does the fact of trusting in Jesus Christ make in your life? Has your faith grown significantly as a result? What impact is it making in the world around you? Does your faith provide something encouraging and desirable for others?


Have a blessed day!