The kingdom of God is like a VW Beetle. It is one of the smallest cars you will ever see. It is not very comfortable or powerful. It is not very stylish or practical. It is very cheap and not impressive in any way. There is no status with owning one.
And yet, it is one of the most recognizable cars on the road. It grew from a back water, German, cheap mode of transport into a phenomenon. It is popular beyond imagining. It is loved and an integral part of social and sociological movements. It is a marketing miracle, a cultural icon. People may smile when they look at them, but they don’t really laugh. They are a success story beyond expectation. For many people, it is actually the car of choice.
This is the force of the parable Jesus told:
Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed