JC "Holds the Mustard" (Luke 13: 18-21)
                                   4/7/12
"Come on, boys.  It's not gonna get any better than this!", we heard John call us to the kitchen for dinner.
"Alright!  I'm starved!", I commented.
"I'm counting on the old adage that if you make them wait long enough, anything will taste good!" John added.
"Bound to be true, especially since it took you all day!  It ought to be good then!", I jabbed back.
We all scooted around the table in front of our soup bowls while John ladled out ample portions of thin, yellow soup.  Each of us looked at John and our bowls curiously as he slowly made his way around the table.  A pungent odor accompanied the soup.
"What is this stuff?" one asked. "Is this it?"
"Come on, guys.  This is good and good for you.  Been slaving all day on this.", John encouraged.
After we prayed, we tentatively tasted the yellow pourage.  Simultaneously screwed and shriveled faces resounded a unanimously, "Yuck!  Mustard!".  We all spit out our bites back into the bowls.  I cringed as I picked out and held up a black bird feather out of mine.  "What the...?" I said under my breath.  "John!"
We could hear a snicker from around the corner of someone trying to hold in a laugh.  Then more sounds followed of one stifling a choke.  Then, finally, the unmistakable sounds of that special belly laugh that comes from deep within!  
I stood up to see for sure.  "JC!" I yelled out in surprise.  "You dirty dog! That figures You had Your hand in this!"
JC was rolling around on the floor, doubled over in mirth.  Tears were now streaming down His cheeks as He tried to catch His breath. "I tried to hold it in, but the feather just killed me.  I couldn't take it anymore!"  He fell back again, clutching His stomach, and let out an even deeper belly laugh.

It was good to see Him again.  It seemed like it had been a while.  Too long, really.

"Alright, alright", JC steadied.  "Im sorry.  I've been dealing with some stuff, doing a little harvesting, and I couldn't resist.  It was time we fellas got together anyway, right?"

"You see, I had responded to a need about these mustard trees.  They shouldn't be trees, really, but should only grow to about four feet tall, like a shrub.

"Shr-r-r-u-u-u-ub-b-b-b!!!!!", came the unexpected interruption of none other than Whitey, poking his white snout through the open window!  

"Okay, okay.  I can't hardly compete with a talking horse, can I?  Steals the show every time!  Anyway, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, the deal is this:  it really is truly amazing to get such growth from something so small.  The mustard seed growing into a tall shrub is something special for sure.  That's what going into the world and making disciples of men can look like.  But mustard wasn't designed to be the main course.  It's a condiment meant to fire up the flavor of the main dish.  You also have to remember you are dealing with people here though.  As more and more people get together, you are bound to have some birds.  Remember the weed story?  It gets messy, I know.  You just have to do the best you can as you live with them and work with them.  You gotta be careful though.  Birds work in the same manner as yeast working its way through the whole batch of dough.  A little goes a long way and can ruin the whole deal. There should be some peace in just knowing that this type of thing will probably happen as you grow and deal with people.  Maybe it will help you to not be surprised or discouraged.  
"Until we meet again, boys!  Gotta roll outta here and whip up some more mustard! Let's ride, Whitey!"