Mark 4: 26-34 |Of seeds and roots and stars

OF SEEDS, AND ROOTS, AND STARS

MARK 4:26-34

JUNE 14, 2015

EVERY HOME HAD ONE WHEN I WAS GROWING UP.

I REMEMBER SEEING THEM IN THE HOMES OF MY FRIENDS; AND EVEN LATER, WHEN I WAS ALL GROWN UP, AND LOOKING TO BUY A HOUSE OF OUR OWN, WE’D RUN ACROSS THEM IN THE HOUSES AT WHICH WE WERE LOOKING.

IN THE HOUSE IN WHICH I GREW UP, IT WAS ON THE DOOR FRAME OF THE KITCHEN CLOSET WHERE WE STORED THE BROOM AND DUSTPAN, THE MOP AND BUCKET, AND VARIOUS OTHER CLEANING SUPPLIES.

MARKED IN PENCIL – THERE WERE THE NAMES OF MY BROTHER AND SISTER AND I, OUR RESPECTIVE AGES AT THE TIME, AND A CORRESPONDING LINE, AND HOW TALL WE WERE, MARKED ON THE INSIDE OF THE DOOR FRAME.

I DON’T KNOW – DO FAMILIES STILL DO THAT?

I’M NOT SURE WHAT OUR OBSESSION WITH HEIGHT WAS BACK IN THOSE DAYS, BUT IT WAS A RATHER TANGIBLE SIGN OF THE FACT THAT WE WERE GROWING UP;

AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, EVEN THOUGH THE PENCIL MARKS ENDED WHILE WE WERE STILL RELATIVELY YOUNG;

OUR PARENTS, AND AS I SAY, HAVING SEEN THIS SAME THING IN MANY OTHER HOUSES OVER THE YEARS, THOSE PARENTS TOO, NEVER ERASED THE MARKS; NEVER SCRUBBED THEM OFF THE WALL;

PERHAPS NOT WANTING TO FORGET WHEN…

AND I REMEMBER TOO – I MAY BE SHOWING MY AGE HERE – THAT MY PARENT’S FRIENDS AND OUR EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HADN’T SEEN US KIDS IN A WHILE WOULD ALWAYS SAY THINGS LIKE:

“LOOK HOW BIG YOU’VE GOTTEN…”

“MY, MY, YOU’RE GROWING LIKE A WEED…”

“WHY, I CAN REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE ONLY KNEE-HIGH TO A GRASSHOPPER.”

ALL OF THESE SAID, OF COURSE, WITH THE OBLIGATORY PAT ON THE HEAD, OR PINCH OF THE CHEEK, OR GRANDMA’S SLOPPY KISS.

I DON’T KNOW – DO PEOPLE STILL SAY THINGS LIKE THAT?

I THOUGHT BACK TO ALL OF THIS WHEN I READ THE COUPLE OF PARABLES OF JESUS IN TODAY’S LESSON.

AS MOST OF THE PARABLES, THESE TWO ARE ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND SINCE THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS PRETTY MUCH ALL INCLUSIVE, THEY ARE ABOUT US AND OUR FAMILIES AS WELL.

IN THE FIRST PARABLE JESUS SAYS THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS LIKE PLANTING SEEDS – THEN THE PERSON WOULD SLEEP AND RISE NIGHT AND DAY…

AND ALL THE WHILE – THE SEEDS WOULD SPROUT AND GROW, AND WE DON’T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENS; BUT PRETTY SOON THE SPROUTS ARE STALK, THEN HEAD, THEN THE FULL GRAIN, AND IT IS TIME FOR THE HARVEST.

HOW MANY OF US KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE OF OUR OWN CHILDREN?

WE CAN STILL PICTURE THEM STANDING UP AS TALL AS THEY COULD WHILE WE MEASURED THEM AGAINST THE DOOR FRAME, AND NOW THEY ARE GOING OFF TO COLLEGE; GRADUATING; MARRYING; HAVING CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN.

“WHERE’S THE TIME GONE,” WE SCRATCH OUR HEADS AND WONDER.

“THE YEARS JUST FLEW BY,” WE SAY.

“WHY, IT SEEMS LIKE JUST YESTERDAY THAT THEY WERE…”

REMEMBER THIS SONG FROM THE PAST?

“WHERE ARE YOU GOING, MY LITTLE ONE, LITTLE ONE?

WHERE ARE YOU GOING, MY BABY, MY OWN?

TURN AROUND AND YOU’RE TWO, TURN AROUND AND YOU’RE FOUR,

TURN AROUND AND YOU’RE GOING OUT OF THE DOOR.”

THE SECOND PARABLE IS THAT OF THE MUSTARD SEED; AND HOW THE TINIEST OF SEEDS CAN GROW INTO THE LARGEST OF PLANTS – NOT ONLY BEARING MORE FRUIT AND SEEDS, BUT PROVIDING SHELTER AND SHADE FOR THE BIRDS OF THE AIR IN WHICH TO BUILD THEIR NESTS.

IN OTHER WORDS – GROWING UP TO BE WHAT THEY WERE MEANT TO BE-A MUSTARD PLANT OR YOUNG MAN OR WOMAN; GROWING UP TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS IN THEIR LIVES; GROWING UP TO THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.

THE PLANTS, OUR CHILDREN, ARE ONE THING, AND THEY WILL GROW AS THEY GROW, AND WE DON’T KNOW HOW IT HAPPENS, SOMETMES…

BUT THE PLANTERS – THE PARENTS, WE DO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

AS PARENTS WE ARE TO GIVE OUR CHILDREN ROOTS BY WHICH TO GROW AND STARS FOR WHICH TO REACH.

AUTHENTIC PARENTING INVOLVES MORE THAN GIVING BIRTH. IT DEMANDS THAT WE IMPART LIFE – EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL AS WELL AS PHYSICAL.

THE CATCH IS WE CANNOT IMPART WHAT WE DON’T HAVE.

WE CANNOT IMPART JOY, IF THERE IS NO JOY IN US.

WE CANNOT IMPART LAUGHTER, IF WE KNOW NO HAPPINESS.

WE CANNOT IMPART MORALS, IF OURS ARE IN TATTERS.

WE CANNOT IMPART A PASSION FOR ART OR MUSIC OR SPORTS OR A LOVE FOR LIFE-LONG-LEARNING IF WE ARE NOT PASSIONATE ABOUT THESE THINGS OURSELVES.

WE CAN’T PASS ON EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING IF WE’VE NOT GROWN BEYOND THE DEFICIENCIES OF OUR OWN EMOTIONAL HISTORY.

WE CAN’T PASS ON SPIRITUAL VITALITY UNLESS WE’VE NURTURED A FAITH OF OUR OWN.

WHAT IS IT – YOU WISH TO PASS ON TO YOUR CHILDREN – TO THE NEXT GENERATION? – AND LET’S BE CLEAR – IT IS NEVER TOO LATE.

THERE ARE STILL THINGS THAT CAN BE SAID; STILL THINGS THAT CAN BE TAUGHT; AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, STILL THINGS THAT CAN BE SHARED FROM OUR LIVES INTO THEIRS.

WE WILL NEVER PARENT PERFECTLY, BUT WE CAN, AND SHOULD, BE CAUTIOUS WITH OUR WORDS AND OUR TONE, AS WE ARE REMINDED IN THIS STORY FROM PREACHER, PROFESSOR, AND AUTHOR TOM LONG.

“NOT LONG AGO I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH MY DAUGHTER ABOUT HER EXPERIENCES GROWING UP.

MY DAUGHTER IS A BRIGHT AND STRONG WOMAN, THE MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW, AS A PARENT, SHE SEES NOW IN HER CHILDREN MANY OF THE STRUGGLES, FEARS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND JOYS SHE REMEMBERS FROM HER OWN CHILDHOOD.
THE CONVERSATION WAS GOOD AND IT WAS HONEST, AND AT ONE POINT MY DAUGHTER REMEMBERED AN ARGUMENT WE HAD WHEN SHE WAS A TEENAGER.

WHAT IT WAS WE WERE ARGUING ABOUT WE HAVE BOTH LONG FORGOTTEN, BUT MY DAUGHTER VIVIDLY REMEMBERS ONE MOMENT OF THIS DISPUTE.

EVIDENTLY WE WERE EXCHANGING SHARP WORDS, FATHER AND DAUGHTER LOCKED IN BATTLE, AND I THREW UP MY HANDS IN FRUSTRATION AND SAID, “YOU’RE NOTHING BUT TROUBLE TO ME.”

IT WAS A STUPID THING TO SAY. IT IS THE KIND OF THING PEOPLE SAY TO EACH OTHER, EVEN PEOPLE WHO LOVE EACH OTHER, IN THE HEAT OF AN ARGUMENT, BUT IT WAS A DUMB THING TO SAY NEVERTHELESS.

AND IT WASN’T TRUE, EITHER. LIKE MOST PARENTS, I CHERISH MY CHILDREN DEEPLY, AND MY DAUGHTER AND SON ARE THE APPLES OF MY EYE, MY TREASURES, AND A GREAT JOY TO ME.

IT WAS SIMPLY NEVER EVEN REMOTELY TRUE THAT SHE WAS NOTHING BUT TROUBLE TO ME. I HAVE NEVER REALLY THOUGHT THAT, AND IN FACT, I DON’T REMEMBER SAYING IT.

BUT SHE DOES. IT WAS YEARS, SHE SAID, BEFORE SHE COULD THINK ABOUT THAT MOMENT WITHOUT PAIN.

FOR ME THE WORDS WERE JUST HURLED INTO THE HEATED ATMOSPHERE, SOON TO EVAPORATE, BUT FOR HER, THOSE WORDS, HASTILY SPOKEN, WERE SHAPED LIKE POISON DARTS, AND THEY FOUND THEIR TARGET IN HER HEART.”

TEACH US, O LORD, HOW TO CURB OUR WORDS. TEACH US TO HOLD OUR TONGUES. TEACH US HOW TO SPEAK WISELY.

AS PARENTS IT IS PRETTY MUCH UP TO US TO DECIDE HOW WE ARE GOING TO PARENT; HOW FAR WE’LL GO; HOW MUCH WE’LL DO; AND HOW MUCH WE’LL HELP OUR CHILDREN TO THINK, AND ACT, AND DO FOR THEMSELVES.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING AN “ALL IN” PARENT, AND IN DOING IT ALL FOR THEM; IN GIVING IT ALL TO THEM; IN BEING ALL OVER THEM; AND ALL UP IN THEIR STUFF ALL OF THE TIME.

THESE SORTS OF THINGS CAN BE NEARLY AS HARMFUL AS NOT BEING ATTENTIVE ENOUGH.

HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF “ALL IN” PARENTS:

I REMEMBER READING ABOUT A PARENT WHO WAS APOLOGIZING TO HIS PASTOR ONCE FOR THE FACT THAT HIS CAR WAS FALLING APART IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT.

AT THE MOMENT HE SAID IT – HE WAS RE-WIRING THE BUMPER OF HIS CAR TO THE BODY WITH A TWISTED UP COAT HANGER.

“PREACHER – IT’S EMBARRASSING TO DRIVE A CAR THAT’S FALLING APART, BUT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE OUR CHILDREN FUN FAMILY EXPERIENCES; AND GO ON FAMILY TRIPS; AND SEND OUR KIDS TO CAMP;

AND WE WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO AFFORD THOSE THINGS IF WE HAD TO MAKE A CAR PAYMENT TOO. SO WE MADE A CHOICE.”

IN ANOTHER INSTANCE, I REMEMBER THE PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN WERE ALL VERY CLOSE IN AGE, AND HOW THEY’D ALL END UP IN COLLEGE AT BASICALLY THE SAME TIME.

THESE PARENTS PLANNED TO SELL THEIR HOME AND MOVE INTO A TRAILER OR INEXPENSIVE APARTMENT WHEN THE TIME CAME SO AS TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO COLLEGE.

“IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER WHERE WE END UP LIVING; WHAT MATTERS IS THAT OUR CHILDREN GET A GOOD EDUCATION AND A GREAT FOUNDATION FOR THEIR FUTURES.”

NOW COMPARE THOSE STORIES TO THE STORY THIS WEEK OF THE FATHER WHO FORCIBLY CUT OFF HIS DAUGHTER’S HAIR; AND WHO PUBLICLY SHAMED HER ON YOUTUBE FOR UNSPECIFIED INDISCRETIONS;

CAUSING HIS THIRTEEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO THROW HERSELF OFF OF A HIGHWAY OVERPASS TO HER DEATH BELOW.

THESE SORTS OF THINGS HAPPEN WITH MORE FREQUENCY THAN ANY OF US WANT TO ADMIT.

FINALLY, LAST SUNDAY DURING THE SHARING OF OUR CONCERNS AND CELEBRATIONS, MANY OF US WERE DEEPLY MOVED BY BEVERLY MORRIS’ PRAYER REQUEST IN ASKING US TO REMEMBER AND TO PRAY FOR CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND BEYOND, WHOSE SUMMER VACATIONS, WILL BE ANYTHING BUT.

CHILDREN, WHO, WITH SCHOOL OUT, WON’T BE RECEIVING FREE BREAKFASTS AND LUNCHES, MANY OF WHOM WILL BE HUNGRY ALL SUMMER LONG.

CHILDREN, WHO, WITH SCHOOL OUT, WON’T BE RECEIVING THE LOVE AND CARE, THE NURTURE AND OVERSIGHT, THE PROTECTION OF THEIR TEACHERS AND SCHOOL STAFF MEMBERS;

CHILDREN WHO WILL NOT BE LEARNING AND LAUGHING AND PLAYING WITH THEIR FRIENDS; OR GOING ON SUMMER VACATIONS ELSEWHERE WITH THEIR FAMILIES;

CHILDREN FOR WHOM THE SUMMER WILL MEAN BEING STUCK AT HOME ALONE;

OR LEFT IN THE CARE OF A SIBLING NOT REALLY OF ADEQUATE AGE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM EFFECTIVELY;

OR WHO MAY EXPOSE THEM TO SITUATIONS BEYOND THEIR TENDER YEARS.

SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE ASKED: IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO AS A CHURCH?

AND THIS MORNING, I AM ASKING ALL OF US THE SAME THING. WHAT CAN WE DO?

I KNOW THAT IT IS CLICHÉ TO SAY THAT “IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD;”

BUT WHERE BETTER TO SAY IT, AND TO DO IT, THAN ON A TWO BY FOUR MILE ISLAND WHERE WE PRACTICALLY LIVE IN EACH OTHER’S BACKYARDS, AND WHERE JUST ABOUT EVERYONE KNOWS EVERYONE?

MOMS, DADS, TEACHERS, GRADS…

SEEDS, ROOTS, AND STARS…

WE DON’T ALWAYS KNOW HOW IT HAPPENS – BUT WE DO KNOW SOME THINGS.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW IS THAT IT WILL ALL HAPPEN MUCH FASTER THAN WE EVER THOUGHT – “GROWING LIKE A WEED…” “TIME FLIES…” “WHERE DID THE YEARS GO…?”

AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, THEY’LL BE WALKING OUT THE DOOR; OUR OWN CHILDREN AND THOSE OF OUR COMMUNITY;

AND THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO, FOR OUR OWN, AND FOR THE OTHERS.

THE HARVEST TIME IS ALMOST HERE – ACTUALLY, IT’S ALWAYS HERE, ALL OF THE TIME, AND IF WE ARE GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN;

IN THE LIVES OF ALL CHILDREN;

WE NEED TO BE “ALL IN” AS PARENTS, AS ADULTS, AS A COMMUNITY, AND AS A CHURCH.