He also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.’ (Mark 4: 30-32)

This smallest of seeds, often sown onto poor and rocky soil, can still find a place to grow. The mustard seed can remain dormant for years waiting for the right conditions to germinate. The mustard plant tends of flourish in dry climates. Despite all odds the small seed can become a place of protection for the vulnerable.

The mustard plant is an evergreen that does well in sandy saline soil. The mustard plant is not separated from the harsh climate, it is a product of that climate. The plant is hardy and produces an abundance of seeds, but tends not to be prolific. It coexists with many other species. Does the comparison with the Kingdom of God extend this far?

The mustard plant provides shade in the desert. The mustard plant is a place of protection in winter storms. If the sandy salty soil is our soul and the Kingdom of God is as a mustard seed, we might understand that within each of us is the potential to become as the mustard plant: a place of rest and sustenance in the midst of life's storms.