“He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’” (Matthew 13:31-32) We close our study of the parables of Matthew 13 with the mustard seed.  It is rather straightforward: the small becomes great: God is at work in the unexpected places.  Perhaps this parable sums up much for us.  Little stories that have the potential to change our world and an unassuming Jewish carpenter who turns out to be Lord of the Universe.  I can’t speak for you, but I’m often tempted to go with our culture’s assumptions that big is good and biggest is best!  But then, there are the parables.  What would happen if you and I took seriously Jesus’ stories?  What would happen if we began to pay greater attention to the small and seemingly unimportant?    Perhaps we might gain a better glimpse of Christ’s work in our midst and be encouraged to believe that the Lord is not finished with us yet.