fighting families, infidelity and tragic death (reflections on Tiger Woods and Chris Henry)

The news of Tiger Woods' infidelity has been cover story fodder for weeks now.  And just this morning, Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry died after he fell from the back of a pickup truck his fiance was driving during a domestic dispute.  Fighting families, infidelity and tragic death is all around.  And what a dark and cold time of year for it, too!  We should be waiting for the light and warmth of Christmas, peace and good will, joy and hope.  Instead we're fearing that the next little fight will change our lives forever.I can't afford big and extravagant gifts for my wife.  Most of us can't.  But I can do the simple and small things.  I invite you, if you are married, engaged, or in a relationship (romantic or otherwise), to consider what a Mustard Seed Marriage (or engagement or relationships or friendship) would look like.

Readings from Matthew's Gospel:

Give your gifts in secret, and your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.

The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast used by a woman making bread.  Even though she used a large amount of flour, the yeast permeated every part of the dough.

Therefore anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

As they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and asked God's blessing on it.

And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it.

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field.  It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of the garden plants and grows into a tree where birds can come and find shelter in its branches.

Eugene Peterson has said that the metaphors Jesus used for the Christian life are frequently the images of the single, the small, and the quiet, which have effects far in excess of their appearance: secrets, yeast, children, bread, wine, seed.

We must listen well to this beautiful truth concerning life in God’s kingdom.  It is in the simple and the small that we find significance.  And so I encourage you to find the mustard seeds of your marriage (or relationships): lighting a candle, preparing one another’s favorite meal, holding hands, a smile, a card or handwritten letter, putting the toilet seat down, taking a walk at dusk.  These simple and small activities, and others like them, will literally make a world of difference in your marriage (or relationships). 

May the grace that is granted to the mustard seed as it grows into a large and fruitful tree be yours as the simple and small building blocks of your marriage (or relationships) grow to create a rich and full life.