Tag: weed

Understanding The Parable Of The Mustard Seed Through The Story Of Kudzu

Brent Pollard

I found an old commercial promoting kudzu for groundcover while researching my family’s history on Newspapers.com, an Ancestry.com extension. Given the plant’s current status as an invasive species plaguing the southeastern United States, this revelation made me laugh. This year, particularly, has seen a remarkable increase in the kudzu crop.

Looking through historical documents, I discovered that kudzu first appeared on American soil in 1876 during the Centennial International Exhibition. This exotic vine proudly displayed in the Japanese pavilion at the World’s Fair in Philadelphia, captivated spectators so much that it was quickly renamed the “Jack and the Beanstalk vine.”

Early twentieth-century newspapers like The Boston Globe recommended kudzu for backyard gardeners, praising its rapid growth, pleasant aroma, and low maintenance requirements. By the 1950s, however, the federal government was forced to acknowledge the drawbacks of kudzu’s rampant spread, a species they had promoted for decades for erosion control. The USDA designated kudzu as a weed in 1970 and was redesignated as a “noxious weed” in 1997.

This story of kudzu—initially celebrated, then reviled—resembles the Parable of the Mustard Seed, which appears in Matthew 13.31–32, Mark 4.30–32, and Luke 13.18–19. Jesus uses The mustard seed in this parable to demonstrate the profound potential that can emerge from humble beginnings. 

In the parable, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven, God’s divine rule, to a mustard seed. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, when planted, it grows into the largest of garden plants, even becoming a tree. This tree then becomes a haven for birds, providing shade and a place for them to nest in its branches.

The mustard seed’s growth, from small to great, signifies how God’s kingdom begins as a tiny seed in our hearts and develops into a powerful influence. Similarly, kudzu started as a tiny seed in the United States and grew into a major ecological force. Instead of providing a haven, it became an uncontrollable pest, engulfing large areas of the southern United States.

So, what can we learn from the Parable of the Mustard Seed and the story of kudzu? Both teach us about the potential consequences of small beginnings and remind us to consider the possible long-term impact of our actions. We have the free will to choose our efforts. Let’s aim to plant excellent seeds that enrich our environment through activities that align with the divine and benefit the world (as taught in Luke 8.11).

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420

Neal Pollard

Missouri has “The Arches,” California, “The Golden Gate Bridge,” New York, “The Statue Of Liberty,” Georgia, “Stone Mountain,” and Minnesota, “The Mall of America.” For years, Colorado was most renowned for our glorious views of the Rocky Mountains.  More and more, our nation’s fellow citizens associate us as “the state that legalized marijuana.”  Although Washington legalized pot the same day Colorado did, somehow the fame (infamy?) of this move is more associated with our great state.

Today, April 20th, is known by many as the marijuana holiday.  Many theories abound as to the origin of this number being associated as a code word for smoking weed—the most educated guess being a group of High School pot smokers from the early 1970s in San Rafael, California, known as “The Waldos”—but the mainstream public is now quickly catching on to the implications of its use.  Say “420” and a growing number of non-users will think “marijuana.”

Association is a powerful thing.  Whatever we think, people associate us, as a church and as individual Christians, with something.  Think about it.  Did you know people will speak of our congregation and say, “That church is _____________”?  Chilling, isn’t it?  What goes in the blank?  Evangelistic? Friendly? Active? Dead? Cold? Out-Of-Touch?  The same thing happens with us.  They say, “He (she) is so ___________.”  How sobering!

If I could choose, I’d want to be associated with a number like one of these:  (Philippians) 2:1-4, (John) 13:34-35, (Hebrews) 13:1, (Mark) 16:15, (Matthew) 16:24, (John) 15:14.  But, try as I might to manufacture a reputation, that’s ultimately not my call.  I earn that by what I practice, avoid, value, and prioritize.  We take a lifetime to build it, one conversation, one deed at a time.  It will be our memorial, standing well after we are gone.  What’s your number? What do people associate you with? If, by chance, you don’t like the answer, get busy repairing or rebuilding. It’s never too late to start.