time and work

Since America has such huge advantages - we’re highly educated, wealthy, possessed of wonderful technology - I sometimes wonder why churches in other parts of the world are growing so fast and ours are shrinking. Why doesn’t the Gospel advance very quickly here?

This morning, reading from Luke 13, I once again saw this familiar parable in verses 18-21: “Then Jesus asked, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.’

“Again he asked, ‘What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.’”

There are a couple of hints here that are relevant to my questions. First, mustard seeds take decades to become trees. Second, have you ever kneaded dough by hand? It’s hard work. Mixing yeast through sixty pounds would be a lot of hard work.

Jesus seems to be saying that the kingdom will grow from small beginnings to a wonderful end, but not without time and work. Lots of time and hard work.

I’m trying to think of anything that our culture gets less excited about than things that will take lots of time and hard work. We’re the society of instant gratification and leisure. A friend recently said she’d love to look as good as so-and-so, but two years ( the amount of time the other person spent dieting and exercising) just was too long.

So why didn’t Jesus make it fast and easy? I’m not sure, but it seems to me there’s a lesson in that somewhere. As with sanctification and discipleship and all the greatest blessings that come from being a Christian, focus over time and persistent effort seem to be demonstrations of commitment that Jesus values.