Benjamin Franklin, an American polymath, writer and statesman once remarked: “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” Romans 5:2-6 confirms: “Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”
Continual Growth is defined as a constant progression of something such as an industry, organization, or an idea, its development in size, and the resulting improvement or importance. It can apply to many factors in life such as the burgeoning of an infant through childhood and into adulthood. As one grows, not only in stature, so knowledge is often gained and developed. If we accept life as a stagnant body of activity without any defined purpose or intention, then we increase the risk of becoming nugatory.
Progress is of paramount importance to negate the lack of germination in life. Just as seeds flourish and grow into plants or trees under the right conditions, so we, with the right guidance can achieve the same. There is a saying: “Great oaks grow from little acorns.” Mark 4:30-32 reminds us: And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
In our religious life, continual growth and progress is also important. If we strive to increase our knowledge and understanding of God, then the personal rewards that He can provide, in return for our efforts, might be comparable to the importance of life-giving oxygen that is prevalent in the world. This not only provides and maintains the essential ingredient for survival as we know it, but allows organisms to grow, reproduce and transform the food that we eat into energy. Our lungs need a constant supply of air to survive, but our corporeal cells also use this important but invisible element to codify particles of food to provide the bodily energy we need.
Survival is essential to life. George Orwell, an English novelist, essayist, journalist and critic once remarked: "To survive it is necessary to fight and to fight you have to dirty yourself." Ephesians 6:10-14 confirms: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.”
Just as food replenishes bodily hunger and provides nourishment and energy to sustain life-preserving qualities, so spiritual growth feeds us with the necessary qualities to nutrify our hunger for meaning and understanding. The parable of the mustard seed given by Jesus is particularly relevant in answering pertinent questions we may have relating to the difference between Heaven and Earth.
Whereas Earth itself is limited in overall size and space, heaven on the other hand has no restrictions. It is capable of expansion to unlimited measurements. It is not confined to a certain amount of inhabitants, but can accommodate limitless numbers of occupants. Heaven is open to all, it is not regulated to a select few.
The mustard seed may be small in size in its original form, but it has the capability of growing to gigantic proportions, just as heaven can do the same. Revelation 21:1-5 confirms: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also, he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Verses 21-25 continue: “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day - and there will be no night there.”
The parables of Jesus are simple narratives that illustrate a universal truth. They often relate to common situations in life that can be readily identified and related to. However, largely due to the rejection of Jesus by so many, without them, the teachings or hidden depths of His messages were often not understood. The simplicity and explanation of each parable become apparent as it unfolds. They enable people to comprehend an otherwise difficult meaning or situation and associate it to reality. Matthew 13:10-13 confirms: Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”
Amen.
