Giving Shade

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

GIVING SHADE

Mark 4:30-32

30 Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade." 

NIV

We might see this as us and our faith starting out same, so very small and it growing into monster like faith, so large and overwhelming that other can take refuge in our faith. Maybe that is it, but is that describing the Kingdom of God? Maybe it is about the church, which started with a very small seed, just one and twenty in some upper room and now the church has grown worldwide having a great influence on all societies. But is that really describing the Kingdom of God? It could be both, but it seems that it does not appear to be either. The Church surely has become larger, and has branched out all over the world, but although many of the branches seem to have grown from the same seed they appear to have a different appearance, almost a different tree altogether. The Kingdom of God surely does not resemble that nor does that resemble the Kingdom of God. But if we are the Kingdom of God, us people, not churches, and when we first receive the Good News, being that good soil, and that so very same seed it planted within us, it is supposed to grow, and grow and grow into a very large, huge, humongous faith. As so many other places we the people of God are referred to as a tree planted by the stream of water that brings forth our fruit in season, our leaf will not wither and what so ever we do will prosper. So here we are a great tree of faith, bearing much fruit which is only good to those birds that perch in our shade. That is our fruit is only good for others to come along and enjoy it. True we gain much benefit from having the seed planted within us and we enjoy so much being a part of the Kingdom of God, but our purpose for growing is not go us, but for those who can find shade in our branches. We should be spreading out our branches so others can find the Good News within us. This is the Kingdom of God, starting out with so few, so small, but growing branch by branch, twig by twig, leaf by leaf until we are a great tree giving even more shade for others to perch in, bearing much fruit so others can eat an enjoy the fruit of our lives as we are rooted in Christ. In addition, a great truth here is that we must grow, we cannot stay as we are, a tree never stops getting bigger, unless it is uprooted, then it dies. As long as we have our roots firmly planted in Christ we should continue to grow spiritually, our faith, our attitudes, our behaviors, our lives should continually expand ever touching others, giving them shade to perch in and fruit to enjoy.