Jesus spoke to the people in parables about the reign of God. He compared it to the plant life that was all around them, to wheat fields and mustard plants. The growth of the reign of God in the world is like a plant that may start out small but can grow and become a magnificent place for shelter. It happens like the farmer who plants the seed but the growth comes when he is not looking. He participates in it but he doesn't know how it actually happens. The growth comes and he participates in and enjoys the result, but he does not control it, nor can he make it happen on his own. Such is the reign of God.

We are the ones who scatter the seed of God's reign in creation. We do it in many ways and in many places. Sometimes there is a bumper crop and sometimes we see no results at all. When t…