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In the Bible, we can find the fact that God has fulfilled His great work even with the very small things, and that puts an important meaning in something that seems trivial at a glance.
God has achieved the great work of the gospel in the Church of God which was small and weak, as He prophesied, “The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation” (Isa 60:22). Now we see the gospel being preached throughout the world; many brothers and sisters, though they have little strength, continuously go to Samaria and to the ends of the earth and they are displaying God’s glory to all people around the world in a great and amazing way, believing the prophecies of the Bible. Having a small beginning but a prosperous future—this is one of the characteristics of gospel preaching.
The seed that fell on good soil
Jesus has said that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, we can say to this mountain “Move from here to there” and it will move, and that nothing will be impossible for us (Mt 17:20). He has also explained the principles of the kingdom of heaven by using the par-able of the mustard seed.
He told them another 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 your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” Mt 13:31–32
A mustard seed here refers to something very small. A mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds; it looks so tiny and worthless. However, when this small seed is sown in the ground, it grows and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.
Although our strength is as small as a mustard seed, God is fulfilling the great work of the gospel through us who have so little ability. Think about when Peter was called by Jesus 2,000 years ago; at that time, Peter was not a man of much ability, but he was only a fisher-man who made a living by catching fish every day. Other disciples such as James and John were also fishermen; they started to follow Jesus, though they had little ability, as did Peter. However, God made them “fishers of men” and used them to accomplish the gospel work in the early Church so amazingly.
With faith, nothing is impossible for us, the people of Zion. Every-thing is possible, but whether or not we can bear much fruit depends on the state of our mind—whether we have cultivated the field of our heart well or not.
“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Mt 13:18–23
The size of the seed itself is not the problem. What is important is where the seed falls. In other words, the most important factor is what heart soil we have when we receive the word of God. Jesus has clearly promised us that we can produce a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown, if our heart is a fertile field.
Let us examine ourselves to see what kind of soil our heart is like: the path, rocky places, thorny ground or good soil. Even though we are lacking in ability and faith, we must never commit a folly to be slow in carrying out the commands of God, being overcome with fear or shame. When God tells us to do something, there is a certain reason for us to do it, and through it God wants to give us blessing. Even though we do not fully understand God’s will right now, when we desire to fulfill the work by depending on God’s words, He makes us bear a hundred times, a thousand times, or a ten thousand times more fruits.
Being trustworthy in a small matter
Long time ago, there was a rich man who had three daughters-in-law. To celebrate his 50th birthday, the rich man gave a party with all his family. After the party, he asked his three daughters-in-law to bring a gift to him at his 60th birthday, which was ten years from then. He did not ask them to do it for free, but said he would give them expenses for the gift to be brought that day in advance; he gave a handful of rice to each of them.
The eldest daughter-in-law thought, ‘He is joking because he is happy today,’ and threw the rice to the chickens. The second one put it back in the rice bin, saying, “How can I buy a birthday gift from a handful of rice?” Looking at a handful of rice she received, the third one thought, ‘This is so little, but why did he ask this?’ and pondered over it to know the will of her father-in-law.
The years slid past and the rich man met his 60th birthday. The rich man called his three daughters-in-law and asked them, “I asked you something on my birthday ten years ago. Have you brought gifts for me?”His eldest daughter-in-law was surprised to hear it and asked back, “When on earth did you say that?” The second one answered, “I thought it was a joke, so I put it back in the rice bin.”
The third one, however, showed a book to her father-in-law. On the last page of the book, it was written, “5 cows, 10 pigs, 20 goats, 100 chickens.” As the rich man asked what all this meant, she explained it in detail.
“When you gave me a handful of rice, I stayed up all night thinking, ‘Why did my father-in-law give this to me to prepare his birth-day gift after ten years? A handful of rice is not costly, so how can I buy his birthday gift with it?’ The next day, I went to my neighbor’s house and exchanged it for a chick. I raised it with loving care and the chick grew up and laid eggs. Many chicks hatched from the eggs, so I raised them again. When I had about 100 chickens, I exchanged some of them for a little goat. The goat grew well and it gave birth to its young and when I had about 20 goats, I started to exchange some of them for pigs, and when I had many pigs, I started to sell pigs to buy a cow. Things I prepared over the past decade are all written in that book.”
It was hard for the whole house not to be surprised at her words. After listening to her, the rich man said, “As you’ve all seen, I will entrust her with the care of my property from today.” The rich man left all his great fortune to his youngest daughter-in-law.
The rich man equally gave a handful of rice to his three daughters-in-law, but their responses were all different. The thought to take a small thing as small and the thought to take a small thing as valuable brought about completely different results.
Being trustworthy in a small matter like the rich man’s youngest daughter-in-law is the work of the kingdom of heaven that is carried out through a mustard seed and the will of God. Everything starts from a small matter. The gospel work of the early Church did not begin in a luxurious royal palace but in Mark’s upper room which was small. Jesus called fishermen and tax collectors as His disciples, and made a miracle with the small mustard seeds.
This also applies to the gospel work in the last days. Although we are weak and small from a worldly point of view, God changes us to bear a hundred times and a ten hundred times more fruit just like a mustard seed grows and becomes a tree so that the birds can perch in its branches.
The life of God’s called ones
Through Jesus’ parable, let us have time to think about what our life should be like to display the glory of God to the whole world.
He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ … He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it. The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ ‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’ The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’ His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’ Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth …’ His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’ Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’ He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.’ Lk 19:12–26
We must not forget that this parable is not a mere story but a prophecy that will actually happen to us in the future. Just as the rich man’s youngest daughter-in-law exchanged a handful of rice for a chick, raised the chick with her whole heart and exchanged it for a goat, raised the goat well and exchanged it for a pig, increased the number of pigs and bought cows, and showed the accounting book to her father-in-law, the time when we show our books to God to settle our gospel work is certain to come.
God blessed those who were trustworthy in a small matter. People are apt to be easily attracted by the work that has a good justification and high aim, but are slow to respond to the work that seems small and trivial. However, God does not want His children to just focus on the work of big matter, but He values those who practice His words with all their heart and soul even in a small matter.
Those who are not trustworthy in a small matter and neglect it finally lose the blessing that they have already received. ‘Why did not God make me a person of talent, but created me to be bad at this and poor at that?’ Let us not complain like this. As God has given talents to all of us, let us value the talent we received even though it is little, and give thanks to God at all times.
Because God gave us eternal life through the Passover of the new covenant, we can do everything. A small mustard seed grows and becomes a tree because it has life in it. God did not give life to big seeds only. He gave life to small seeds as well as big seeds.
No matter how big a seed is, if it has no life, it is nothing and it cannot grow. On the other hand, a mustard seed that has life is small but it can grow to be a big tree so that the birds can perch in its branches. As children of God, we are to realize this and do all we can to bear God-pleasing fruit, without neglecting even a small thing.
The work of God fulfilled by a little thing
When we are trustworthy in a small matter, we can be trustworthy in a big matter; when we neglect a small matter, we will also neglect a big matter.
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Lk 16:10
Although we have a small number of talents, if our heart is rich soil, we can produce a hundred times and a thousand times more fruit. No matter how many talents we received, we can make nothing if the field of our heart is not good. Let us not compare the talent we have with that of others; we should try our best, realizing the will of God who has put life into us.
But if you will look to God and plead with the Almighty, if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place. Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be. Job 8:5–7
Our ability is weak, but the great power of God is with us. Even now, God is accomplishing the work of the kingdom of heaven through a mustard seed.
In this age when the eternal kingdom of heaven is right before our eyes, God has entrusted us with the mission to preach the glory of New Jerusalem Heavenly Mother to the whole world. Although we are lacking in teaching the Word, there is no need to worry. When we diligently make an effort, God helps us.
Behind the story that the rich man’s youngest daughter-in-law bought a cow with a handful of rice is her effort and devotion. The Holy Spirit works for those who move God by their devotion and faith to practice the word of God. Inscribing the words that the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, let us proclaim the gospel of the new covenant across five oceans and in all six continents of the world.