by Dr. Jeff Mathis
Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow,
he does not know how. The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head,
then the full grain in the head. But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes
in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.”
Mark 4:26-29
I have combed the Gospels, but I have yet to find any references to baseball, technology, or best-selling fiction on time travel.
No, my areas of personal interest do not pop up in Jesus’s teachings.
But you know what does? Stories and references to agriculture. If you’re a farmer, Jesus is speaking your language. If you’re still trying to find your green thumb, you’ll have to translate what Jesus is saying.
I love how Jesus speaks to the people. Jesus populates his teachings with illustrations and object lessons that made sense to his audience. These references to planting and harvesting made sense to my parents. They loved to garden in the spring and would brag about their tomato crop in the summer. And me? Not so much. I was too busy watching baseball and reading, A Wrinkle in Time.
Here are two truths about me: I wish that I was good at gardening (truly, I do). And two, I wish that I enjoyed gardening.
Alas, I am 0-2 on that score.
The other day, I had a moment of clarity as my family and I struggled to pull weeds, rake, and scatter grass seed on a dirt bank at our house. With muddy hands and an impatient spirit, I thought: I’d much rather buy turf than plant grass. Why? Instant grass is far more desirable than waiting for grass to grow.
It’s hard to confess that this sentiment is present in other aspects of my life. I’d rather solve a problem quickly than over an extended period of time. I prefer expedited results rather than nurturing seeds of change. I’d rather buy strawberries than plant them.
If the Gospel According to Jeff Mathis is a microwave oven, then the Gospel of Jesus is a crockpot. The Kingdom of God is about grace and hospitality, tending and pruning. A life of faith is lived in long-suffering and trust, allowing fields to lie fallow and waiting patiently for the harvest.
Let’s face it. The Gospel of Jesus is too big to fit in the express checkout lane at the grocery store.
Perhaps I shouldn’t treat it like it can.