21.01 | Seeds & Weeds

Matthew 13:24-52

“Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Matthew 13:51-52

---

Parables change paradigms.

A paradigm is a way of thinking, a framework for our ideas, a big story into which we can position every other little story. It is a system of values and presuppositions within which we construct our view of the world. The paradigms we believe will reshape every idea or thought or word that we receive and fit it to its own mould.

Parables, however, change our paradigms.

Jesus’ disciples knew this well. They had a number of paradigms.

For example: God’s people are the sons of the Kingdom. They are distinct and different. They are therefore to live separately, with separate values, norms, customs, and habits. This difference should be lived out by forming separate communities away from everyone else. Holiness is stewarded by separation. Identity is distinguished by distance. Jews over here, Gentiles over there. We are the seeds, and over there are the weeds. 

The parable, however, changes the paradigm.

This time, Jesus says, unlike the Old Testament vision, it’s going to be different. This time, the seeds and the weeds are going to grow alongside each other. This time, rather than establishing you as a separated religious nation, you will be scattered as my people throughout the world, just as leaven is spread throughout every single part of the dough. This time, you will not be distinct because of your distance from everyone else; rather, you will live distinctly in the very midst of all the pain and problems of the world. Your presence amidst pain will not be a marker of your failure, but your identity as children of the Kingdom will be unshakeable, even in the midst of the most testing of circumstances.

The parable changes the paradigm. Stop hiding from the wounds of the world, but continue to live out the values of the Kingdom in the very middle of the mess in which you find yourself. 

Another example. The disciples had a paradigm that the Kingdom would come and land as something big and mighty and visible. They saw success as the same thing as scale.

But the parable changes the paradigm.

Instead, Jesus says, the Kingdom will come like the smallest seed into the soil of the world. You will barely even be able to see it to begin with, but it will germinate and grow, and multiply and expand, becoming larger and larger and larger until it becomes a place of fruitfulness and sanctuary for multitudes. 

The parable changes the paradigm. Planting things in the Kingdom does not require beginning something large and extraordinary, but often comes from the simple acts of faith, planted into the soil. God is really good at making humble things grow.

What about us? What paradigms might the parables change?

A word of advice:

Sometimes, when we read a passage, the Lord wants to give us a word that meets us with comfort, peace, and joy. It is beautiful, restful, encouraging, timely, healing. 

But sometimes, the word we need hits us hard. It unsettles us. It jolts our way of thinking and leaves us grappling with new and rather uncomfortable ideas.

In my experience, paradigm changes can fall a little more into the latter.

Where my pedestrian pluralism is challenged by the sharp distinctions of Jesus, and His descriptions of how life so utterly falls apart without Him.

Where spent my time and energy fussing about with stuff and success, rather than leaving it all behind to dig for more of Him and buy the only Pearl that matters.

Where I’ve leaned on the treasure that is old, not risking moving into being a steward of new things He wants to give me.

Comfortable? Not always.

But real? Absolutely.

And, when all is said and done, the only paradigm that really matters is that which is true.

And every true paradigm ultimately finds its roots in Him.

---

Reflect:

Is there are paradigm that has been challenged for you today?

How might His new way of thinking lead you to live differently?

---

Pray:

Father,

The Scriptures give me some ideas that land sweetly and easily

And some that clatter against my ways of thinking 

Help me to see such disturbance

Not as obstacle

But opportunity

Not as disorientation

But reorientation

Take my thoughts

My ideas

My values

My paradigms

And would you,

Day by day 

And moment by moment

And year by year

Transform my ways of thinking

That all my thoughts and all my values

May find their home

In the expansive realities of your truth

In the paradigms of paradise

For only then can I live in reality

Only then can I live in truth.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Old Testament: 

For those also reading the Old Testament this year, your additional readings are here:

Genesis 42-43 | Psalm 12