The Mustard Seed – Small Becomes Big

Jesus described the mustard seed: ’…the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.’

A small seed becomes a big plant

Many studies have shown that singing can make a big difference to both physical and mental health. Yesterday I read about a study from the Medical College of Wisconsin that investigated the impact of singing different songs, on older people with heart disease.

They discovered… singing the Beatles’ ‘Hey Jude’ and Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ brought small improvements… singing John Newton’s ‘Amazing Grace’ for ten minutes daily saw the biggest heart condition improvements. Small action; big improvements

Sunday was our ‘Harvest Service’. We were asked to bring donations for a local foodbank. Folks brought… a couple of cans of beans, a packet of cornflakes, a tin of peaches… Small contributions became a significant quantity.

Amy works at the foodbank. She talked local poverty and families in need. Our small contributions make a big difference.

Robert Raikes, a newspaper owner and contemporary of John Newton, was concerned about conditions in Gloucester Prison. Campaigning for prison reform he used his paper to describe the terrible prison conditions, and to make regular appeals for food, clothing and small amounts of money to enable the prisoners to buy food.

Amy would approve; small contributions made a big difference then too.

From his prison work Raikes saw a connection between ignorance and poverty. In 1780 he engaged ‘four decent, well-disposed women’ to set up a Sunday School to teach children to read.

He called this a “grain of mustard seed”. Raikes set up more Sunday schools in Gloucester… he used his position and newspaper to publicise the work… by 1788 there were 300,000 children in Sunday Schools across the country… by 1831, 1,250,000 children. Sunday Schools are seen as the start of the current English school system.

Musing… Mustard Seed… small becomes big… John, Amy, Robert… Amazing Grace.