Parables of the Mustard Seed and Yeast

Posted on February 17, 2026 by Don Merritt

The Parable of the Mustard Seed is one of the best known of Jesus’ teachings; we cite it often as a teaching on faith, but that is not what this parable is about. The faith connection comes from Matthew 17:20, which is not a parable. Rather, the Parable of the Mustard Seed is about the Kingdom. The same is also true of the Parable of Yeast, which Mark did not include in his account.

Matthew 13:33-35

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables,
    I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”

Mark 4:30-34

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, which is 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.”

With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

I doubt that Jesus was intending to give a lecture on botany here, but He clearly used frames of reference His listeners were familiar with: Mustard seeds are tiny, yet they grow into very large plants. That is the point of the metaphor, tiny seed becomes very big plant. How does this apply to the Kingdom?

If I was an atheist, I would be asking myself how it is possible that an obscure travelling teacher from first century Galilee is still a controversial figure all over the world twenty centuries after his death. Yes, that’s right, a carpenter’s son born in a stable who grew up in flyover country became the most influential figure in history, yet he never traveled more than a hundred miles or so from his birthplace.

After his death, a ragtag bunch of misfits from the provinces, just a handful of them mind you, unleashed a revolutionary idea in the minor provincial capital of Jerusalem. They were opposed by the greatest power the world had ever seen, and Mr. Atheist, you are still opposing this teaching today. How could this have happened? It’s simply incredible!

As Jesus told us, the Kingdom is like that. A tiny seed grows into the largest of garden plants, big enough to give shelter to the birds; it just wouldn’t seem likely at all… but there it is.  It isn’t reported in the text, but I have a hunch this is what Jesus explained to His disciples. Yes, they were obscure, true, they weren’t important big shots from famous and powerful families, and they were young, very young.  Yet, in spite of all outward appearances, they made a huge mark on history, and more importantly, they made a huge difference for God’s salvation plan, in spite of all apparent circumstances.

Jesus continues His teaching of parables with the Parable of Yeast. As before, He begins with the words, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like…” denoting that 1) this is a parable (Is like) and 2) that the subject is indeed the kingdom of Heaven. The Parable of Yeast is similar to that of the mustard seed, for when we put a small amount of yeast into the flour to make the dough for bread, little would we suspect that such a small amount yeast would find its way into the entire dough mixture, becoming something so powerful that it entirely changes the nature of the dough. The Kingdom is like that because it comes into the world, and changes everything; no wonder it is opposed so fiercely!

The section ends with Matthew yet again showing us how this speech of Jesus’ ties into Israel’s history of prophecy.

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A Way with Words

Posted on February 17, 2026 by Don Merritt

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,
    but the heart of the wicked is of little value.

Proverbs 10:20

This is another one of the proverbs that deals with what we talk about and the words we use. This time, we have a comparison and contrast between the intrinsic worth of righteous speech, and value of a wicked person’s heart. I must admit that I would not have thought of this comparison- is it too harsh?

Maybe. Yet Solomon penned these proverbs in a time when people tended to place a lot of value on the Truth, and we live in a time in which we place a higher value on our feelings. However you prefer to look at this, one thing is clear, and that is that Solomon is strongly suggesting that there is a close relationship between the condition of our hearts, and what comes out of our mouths.

Once again, this gives us a point to ponder and consider going forward: what is your conclusion?

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President’s Day

Posted on February 16, 2026 by Don Merritt

…or should that be Presidents’ Day?

Well, whichever one it is, today’s the day.  It is of course a holiday and many of us are off work; yippie!

When I was a kid in school, we didn’t have President’s Day.  Instead we had Lincoln’s Birthday on February 12 and Washington’s Birthday on February 22, and if both of them missed the weekend we had two days off from school; everyone who wasn’t a Mom loved that!  Now of course, in order to provide workers with a three-day weekend we have today… whatever it is supposed to be for.

I am usually a bit of a contrarian; I think that Washington and Lincoln deserve to be remembered, for both of them played vital roles in the establishment and building of our Nation.  In fact, I would dare to go so far out to the “extreme” (you know where that is, it’s “out of the mainstream”) as to say that we have lost something of our heritage in seeming to forget their contributions to our Nation!

So, here’s a thought:  Why not take a few minutes sometime in our day off today to look back and reflect upon our Nation’s presidents… all of them.  Many of them were very good people who wanted to improve the country and the lives of its citizens.  A few were just plain great; Washington and Lincoln are certainly at the forefront of these.  Some of them were more than a little rough around the edges, engaging in colorful speech and actions.  Some of them were entirely untrustworthy… and still others never wanted to be there at all. Together they paint of picture of us all.  They had the same faults and talents that we the people have.  They made many of the same mistakes that we all make, had triumphs and tragedies like we all do.  They had sleepless nights, lost loves and depression, yet they kept on going…

And of course a certain number of them came to the point when they realized in private that they couldn’t carry all of the load of their responsibilities alone and fell to their knees before God.  If you look very carefully, you will discover that the ones who did this ended up being the ones who went down in history as truly great, while the ones who never came to that point didn’t quite make the cut of greatness.

Huh, I wonder why that is?

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The Summation

Posted on February 16, 2026 by Don Merritt

Proverbs 9

The 13th discourse concludes this first section of the book of Proverbs, and it contains a general summation of what we have seen up to this point. Here, Lady Wisdom invites us to her house. Unlike the house of folly seen in chapter 7, Wisdom’s house is one of celebration; she’s going to throw a party.

The invitation is extended in verses 1-6. Everyone is invited… well almost everyone. Those who are deliberately evil aren’t invited. In verses 7-10 we see the exclusions from the invitation. “Mockers” aren’t invited, for they are just evil. These are people who willfully seek to do evil; in fact, they can take almost anything and turn it into something perverse. Try to correct or give guidance to such as these, and they will hate you for it. By contrast, correct or rebuke a wise person, and they will be wiser than they were before, and that is quite a contrast.

Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.

Psalm 9:9

Each person has it within his or her power to choose the right path, the path of wisdom and godliness. Many will do so, but more will not, preferring the ways of folly and mockery of all that is virtuous and godly. Following God’s path is its own reward and will add to one’s days. This is because through godly wisdom, a person will more likely be able to avoid those paths that lead to a premature or violent death. You will recall that Jesus expanded upon this notion by teaching that those who choose to follow God’s path will receive the gift of eternal life.

Folly also has a house. It is represented by an “unruly” woman who calls out her invitation to passers-by. Her house is no mansion supported by seven pillars, instead it is an ordinary house in the “highest” part of town: interesting imagery. She sits on the porch and calls out to people going by who have no thought of doing anything wrong; all she has to do is tempt them inside. Both Lady Wisdom and Ms Folly invite the “simple” and it seems that then as now, these are the ones in whom the battle is waged for souls. They haven’t made a final decision as to where their lives are going, whether they will follow the path of wisdom or folly. Lady Wisdom prepared food and drink to share with her guests, Ms Folly advocates stolen waters and secret eating in a metaphorical allusion to adulterous relations.

Lady Wisdom’s guests are shown the ways of knowledge and wisdom that add to the days of a person’s life. Ms Folly seeks to set a person on the road to ruin and death. It’s almost as though I’ve heard this story before…

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Loose Lips Sink Ships

Posted on February 16, 2026 by Don Merritt

Sin is not ended by multiplying words,
    but the prudent hold their tongues.

Proverbs 10:19

Teenagers never cease to amaze me; they think they can talk their way out of anything. OK, maybe I’m only thinking about my kids, I’m sure there are those who show wisdom in these matters. Politicians are most often just like teens; they mess up, get caught with their hands in the cookie jar, and think they can talk their way out of trouble.

Multiplying words causes no end of trouble.

A prudent person doesn’t volunteer information in legal proceedings, but this maxim goes well beyond legality. A prudent person doesn’t say stupid things or engage in silly and foolish conversation, including gossip and the telling of tall tales. Rather a prudent person restrains him or herself to conversation that is wholesome, empowering, loving, truthful and kind.

I can recall hearing my father talk about WW2 and the restrictions of what you could and could not say about serving; where you were going, what your job was and so on. Loose talk could get people killed.

It still can.

This is something we will see a lot of in the Proverbs- discussions of words and talking too much: Wisdom requires it.

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Deathbed confessions of a food snob- redux

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Don Merritt

There are some things in life that aren’t worth the effort or the money they cost; lousy food is one thing that comes to mind…

Food is necessary to sustain life, food costs money, food takes time and effort to prepare and food can be something that adds zest and variety to life:  Food is important.  People in Western countries put a lot into food.

I wouldn’t think that any of this comes as news to you, dear reader…

The great question of this or any other age is: Why would we settle for lousy food if we don’t have to?  Yes, friends it is upon such great questions that the fate of civilization rests.  In connection with this great issue, I must now confess that somehow I have slipped into snobbery; I am a food snob!

Since I must eat to live, I’d prefer to eat good stuff.  If I am going out to eat, I would prefer a place that serves good food to one that slings the hash or tosses the burgers… and I am unrepentant on this point. As an old boss once (maybe more than once, come to think of it) said to me: “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.”

Why accept mediocrity?  Why settle for average?  If we have the power or the ability to do better, shouldn’t we do better?  You see this really isn’t about food at all, it’s about not settling for second best.   Martin Luther King once said that if you are a street sweeper, be the best street sweeper you can be.  Doesn’t this apply to all areas of our daily lives?  I think it does, and I think that it is a firm Biblical concept. It isn’t about showing off or being a hot-shot or arrogant or prideful, it’s about having a great testimony for Christ.

Let’s say you are at work and there is a Christian among your co-workers.  This person wants to tell everybody about God and church and that person is a slacker, a sand-bagger and a lazy worker.  How do they reflect upon God? Not well!

Back to true confessions: God has provided us with the physical need to eat, and the means to eat well (hopefully). Why eat lousy food?  Why not do the best we possibly can within our means, giving glory, thanks and praise to God all the while?

Final note:  There is no deathbed; nobody is even sick.  But if you’re going to write a title, why not make it a good one?

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Sunday Reflection: February 15, 2026

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Don Merritt

The wise store up knowledge,
    but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.

Proverbs 10:14 

Chapter 10 of Proverbs, the first chapter of this section of the Book, has 32 verses. Of those 32, 11 are about the kinds of things we either say or do not say: Clearly, human speech is a very big deal.

Notice here, that we are faced with a contrast between a wise person and a fool – and knowledge and ruin. Nothing is mentioned about the wise person’s speech, but for the fool, his mouth invites his ruin. In my lifetime, I have met a great many people of all backgrounds and personality types. Many of them were wise, some very wise. Many more were less than wise, and some of those were fools. It has often struck me how easy it is to spot a fool; you only need to listen to what they say, and they will tell you what a fool they are. Often, you can tell from across the room; wise people don’t usually shout in a social setting, but fools like to talk over everyone else.

Scripture teaches us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. If reverent respect (fear) is where wisdom begins, then the next stop is taming our tongues and getting rid of the foolish talk.

It’s something to think about, something to pray about, and I’ll see you next time, got another Sunday Reflection.

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Shopping Frenzy

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Don Merritt

Saturday is shopping day at my house; my favorite.

Now in truth, going to the market is necessary; kind of a necessary evil. After all, we do need provisions and supplies, and going to the store is how you get them these days… oh how I loathe shopping!

Now as a ‘typical male’ (whatever that means) I have a list of what I need to get, I grab a cart and proceed as quickly as my little feet will carry me to get my stuff and get out!  Sometimes I must confess, I even check my watch to see if I can break my all-time speed record for grocery shopping. (13 minutes if you must know)

Now of course there are other people in the store who seem to have different ideas… They want to see if they can handle each and every item on the shelf I’m trying to get to.  They bring their kids and make a family outing of it; they compare prices and values between this one and that one.  They stroll leisurely down the isles, humming a little tune like it’s a Sunday afternoon stroll in the park.  Sometimes they are even chatting on the phone… and they are always in the way!  Don’t they realize I’m trying to beat 13 minutes???

Thank you dear Lord for answering my prayer to learn patience.  Thank you for helping me slow down and see the wonders around me, and thank you for showing me that always being in a rush isn’t always the best way to live!

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Introduction to the first section

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Don Merritt

The first subsection in the “proverbs of Solomon” is chapters 10-12. Most of the subsections within this unit begin with the words “a wise son” as found in 10:1and 13:1. This first subsection contains maxims that are antithetical in their construction, meaning that each one contains a statement that illustrates a life of wisdom, and then an opposite statement that shows the principle in the life of folly. It is as if Lady Wisdom and Ms Folly are still debating their two sides of each issue, or more correctly, the results of their respective ways of life. As you will notice when you read these maxims, they are both powerful and practical for life’s application of their lessons.

Here are the first three of these, Proverbs 10:1-3, and a few thoughts of mine…

1 The proverbs of Solomon:

A wise son brings joy to his father,
    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

We can begin to see Solomon’s approach right off the bat, here in the first verse. A wise son, and the result or blessing of his wisdom, versus the foolish son and the curse his foolishness has brought upon his poor mother. Although Solomon is painting with a broad brush in many of his wise sayings, they are true to life even after millennia have passed.

Here’s the next one, verse 2:

2 Ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value,
    but righteousness delivers from death.

This one represents a common theme in Scripture: The short-term gain of disreputable behavior, versus the life-long, even eternal benefit of righteous living. Money and treasure cannot last; it can be lost, stolen, burned, or used up. Righteousness does not suffer these perils.

3 The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
    but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

Our last one for today brings another common theme from Scripture: God blesses the righteous, He sees the righteous through difficulty: He has their backs. The wicked are on their own in a dog-eat-dog world.

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Parable of the Weeds

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Don Merritt

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

“‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

Matthew 13:24-30

The last thing anybody wants when they are planting seeds is to discover later that their seeds included the seeds of weeds, so seed providers are very careful to ensure that their seed packages are clear of such an infestation. In this parable, a farmer had good wheat seeds, free of weeds, but his enemy came into the field under cover of night and infested the man’s fields with weeds− nice guy.

Jesus began the story by saying that the Kingdom of Heaven is like that. I’m sure I don’t really need to explain this to anybody, but obviously, the Gospel is represented by the seeds, the enemy is Satan, and the weed seeds are the notions, cares and philosophies of this world. As the Gospel message begins to grow inside a person, the weeds of the enemy grow and seek to choke out the pure message of hope. In the end, when the time has come for harvest, the Harvester will pull out the weeds so they can be burned, and the wheat will be harvested.

You might want to take note of the apocalyptic implications of this, for when Jesus returns, those weeds in the harvesting fields will be separated from the harvest and burned.

We might also note, considering the previous passage, that the parables Jesus is using to explain the Kingdom are really not very hard to follow, unless of course, you just don’t want to follow them.

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