He put another parable to them. ‘The kingdom of heaven,’ he said, ‘is like a grain of mustard seed, which someone took and sowed in a field. It’s the smallest of all the seeds, but when it grows it turns into the biggest of the shrubs. It becomes a tree, and the birds in the sky can then come and nest in its branches.’ — Jesus from Matthew 13:31-32
In the same way, the kingdom-work that Jesus is doing may be seen as small and insignificant. In his whole life, he can’t have traveled more than a few hundred miles. And yet…His way of love, forgiveness, humility, and service has women itself into the fabric of many societies, so that even where it’s ignored, people know that something happened in his life and death that changed the world. — NT Wright in Lent for Everyone
Here’s what I know…a little life is still life. A small life can still have enormous impact. A bit of love passed around to the masses, is still great heaps of love more than a lot of people give or receive. Compassion is never wasted…even when it is not appreciated by the receiver…it puts goodness into the world. And the world needs more good.
I often see that people who worry about having an impact on the world…already are.
So let’s keep seeking ways to replicate that mustard seed that can grow into a tree. Keep finding ways to emulate the Man who managed to change calendars, set global holiday seasons, and inspire love, mercy, and kindness in so many. His life trajectory may have been small…but his impact was significant beyond calculation.