The Economics of a Seed
Jesus told them a parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.’ Matthew 13:31-32
Tiny Seed
The first plant from which I intentionally harvested seeds was broccoli. I was flabbergasted by broccoli seeds. Yes, I said flabbergasted.
The broccoli seed is itty, bitty, teeny, tiny. It is so small it’s difficult for me to pick up and hold it between my huge fingers.
Huge Potential
Its tiny-ness is contrasted by the plant that produces it. At the seed-bearing stage, broccoli plants are gargantuan. They grow taller than me by far, and have enormous waxy leaves that are themselves longer than my arm and wider than my body.
The plant produces a broccoli head, the part many of us like to eat with ranch dressing or roasted with a little salt and olive oil. When you look closely at a broccoli head, you see it is made up of teeny, tiny green buds.
If you were to leave that broccoli head attached to the plant, you’ll discover that each of those tight, little green buds grows into a yellow flower. When the flowers are spent, they leave behind scores of long, thin beans, each containing a dozen or so seeds. A single broccoli plant can produce thousands of seeds.
Abundance
There is so much abundance. It is over-the-top. It is extravagant.
Just one of these tiny seeds has the potential to produce a plant that will outgrow me, and which can provide me with food this season and the capacity to produce hundreds more plants for food.
Whilst the broccoli plant is doing all that amazing work, it is also providing other services like creating habitat for frogs among its waxy leaves, feeding pollinators with its abundant flowers, loosening the soil with its root structure.
That first year, I collected maybe 40 or so dried pods from the plant. I couldn’t possibly collect them all. Dozens were left for the birds. I cracked open the pods and chased the tiny seeds into a container. Seeds were rolling everywhere. I couldn’t possibly catch them all. I collected more seeds than I could count, more seeds than I could possibly plant in my garden space.
I said to myself, “I could give some of these seeds away and still have plenty!”
I put the message out to my friends and neighbors – who wants seeds?!
A Very Good System, Designed for Sharing
I realized with awe and wonder – this is God’s economy. This is the very good way He designed His creation to work. He made the seed. He caused it to grow. He blessed it and made it exceedingly abundant. It is enough for me, for the bees, for the birds, and for many others.
We’re Invited to the Party
In Matthew, Jesus is recorded as telling his disciples “the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed (side note – mustard seeds are about half the size of a broccoli seed) which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” Matthew 13:31-32
Jesus’ story isn’t just about the mustard seed and the amazing thing it grows to become. He includes people as participants in the wonder-work. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and planted in his field.”
There are a few steps the person is invited to take in this story about the Kingdom of Heaven.
First, the man needs to take the seed from the one who offers it.
Then he needs to carry it to his field.
Then he needs to place it in the soil.
An Unplanted Seed Doesn’t Grow
My friend Jeremy gave a message about stewardship that has stuck with me for years. He reminded us that seeds need to be planted in order to produce a crop. If I’m being honest, I like to keep the seed in my pocket. I like to know it is safely tucked away so that I will have it when I need it. But a seed in my pocket will never grow. I have to drop it into the soil and trust that God will cause it to produce as it was intended.
I need Jesus to keep reminding me “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:24.
Overcoming Scarcity Fears
Here, I need to make a confession. As I was divvying seeds into smaller packages, a voice in my head started fretting. What if my plants don’t take? Maybe I should save some extra seeds, just in case. And maybe I should set aside a few more for the year after, just in case something goes wrong with the harvest.
Building resilience is important, and there are times to save for the future. At the same time, I am reminded of a talk Joshua Becker (author of Uncluttered Faith) gave recently here in Savannah. He shared that, when he published his book, he and his family decided they had enough financial resources for their needs so they chose to use income from the book to start a non-profit for orphan care. He encouraged listeners to consider whether we might be holding onto resources in case of “what if” scenarios that may not ever materialize, when God has a purpose for those resources to be used for “what is,” now.
If I were to try to keep all of those broccoli seeds, they might stay in my refrigerator for years, never producing any broccoli and eventually becoming nonviable. If I give them away, they multiply in the world.
God has shown me that He can produce a broccoli plant from a seed smaller than a pinhead, and that He is faithful to do it season after season. Will I trust Him and plant the seed he has given me for today? Will I trust Him to continue to provide in the future?
AN invitation to consider
- What am I holding in my pocket that God has invited me to use up or give away?
- What fear is holding me back from taking His invitation?
- God, give me the courage to plant the seed I am holding!
May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.