BY REV. DORAL PULLEY, Today’s Church Tampa Bay
READ Matthew 13:31-32 | “He spoke another parable to them, saying, the kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed (Matthew 13:31).”
Mustard is a condiment that is often put on hot dogs and hamburgers. It is also used in various foods such as potato salad and barbecued spareribs to spice up the flavor. Mustard is so potent that you don’t need a lot of it, just a little bit or it will completely dominate the dish.
From a biblical perspective, when people think about mustard they think about “faith as of a mustard seed.” In this parable, Jesus is not talking about faith but about greatness. The mustard seed is considered the least of all the seeds of the field because it is so small but when the mustard seed matures it becomes the greatest herb. A mustard stain is one of the hardest stains to get out of cloth because it is so potent.
Jesus is demonstrating that it is not how we start but how we end. The mustard seed starts as the least but becomes the greatest tree. The mustard tree is so great that birds find a home among its branches. Therefore, as Kingdom people, we must not despise the days of small things or humble beginnings (Job 8:7, Zechariah 4:10).
Rev. Doral Pulley is the senior pastor of Today’s Church Tampa Bay, 940 5th Ave. S, St. Petersburg (Staybridge Suites) and 5107 North Central Ave., Tampa.
