ODJ: small and large
May 13, 2010
What is the kingdom of God like?. . . It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches” (vv.18-19).
READ: Luke 13:10-21
How big is the kingdom of God? Jesus said it begins small, like a mustard seed or a pinch of yeast, and it grows until it permeates “every part of the dough” (13:21). It’s large enough for birds to nest in. But it’s not so big that it overlooks details. Just as our immense sun illumines every corner of Earth, so God’s kingdom transforms every aspect of life. The kingdom is both small and large.
The sheer scope of the kingdom means that Jesus noticed little things, like a stooped-over woman. How many of us even remembered that Jesus healed her? This was definitely not His most famous miracle. Yet Jesus observed that her crippling disease was the work of Satan. And since God’s kingdom extends as far as the curse is found, He said “Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!” (13:12).
One problem. Jesus healed her in the presence of a small man. Not in height, but in heart—much like the Grinch in Dr. Seuss’ famous tale, whose heart was “two sizes too small.” This leader of the synagogue rebuked the woman—who was now standing straight and tall—for coming forward. “ ‘There are six days of the week for working,’ he said to the crowd. ‘Come on those days to be healed, not on the Sabbath’ ” (13:14).
Jesus replied: “Isn’t it right that she be released, even on the Sabbath?” (13:16). Even meaning “especially on the Sabbath.” Israel rested on the Sabbath to commemorate her deliverance from Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15), so there was no more appropriate day to deliver “a daughter of Abraham” from the curse of sin.
The kingdom of God is too large to be petty and too big to ignore the smallest burden. Lend a hand in Jesus’ name, and your small kindness will be gathered into something mighty and massive—the kingdom of God. —Mike Wittmer
How do the reactions to the crippled woman by the synagogue leader and Jesus differ? What does this teach us about the difference between religiosity and true religion?
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