Life can get complicated can't it? Too often, we seem to make it that way. Many people make the Bible sound complex and we may tend to be discouraged. But it this the way it should be?

Jesus loved the little children, and once said:

"Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." Mark 10:14-15

Jesus want's us to have the simplicity and faith of a little child. We often tend to over-complicate things, but remember, to enter the kingdom of God, we must be as a little child. Just as a child has a simple faith in their parents, so we are to trust in God.

The Bible is meant to be understood by all, and is simple enough so that even a child can understand it's plain truths.

There is a parable Jesus spoke, that I'd like to consider for a moment.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Matthew 13:31-32

Do you know what a mustard seed looks like? It is very tiny, a bit like a small poppy seed.
How does a mustard seed relate to the kingdom of God? What is God telling us?

The mustard seed is "the least of all seeds", it is a tiny humble little seed. If I could show you one, you could easily brush it off as tiny and unimportant. How is the kingdom of heaven like a mustard seed?

The kingdom of heaven is simple and humble, like a mustard seed. Yet, Inside this humble seed is something powerful and far-reaching in its results. This seed has the potential to sprout, and grow into a mighty tree with strong roots and branches reaching far out to all around it.

The seed starts out small, but if nourished, it matures into the "greatest among herbs".

Once the tree has matured, it bears fruit and is a blessing to all who come in contact with it.

And so it is for us, when we seek the Lord and confess and forsake our sins, God promises to dwell with us. And, just like the seed in the parable, as we walk with God we slowly begin to change. That seed inside of us is being nourished as we spend time with God in prayer and Bible study. Pretty soon the seed has taken a firm root in our lives and as we learn more and more of God’s will, we forsake more things that are tying us to this world and we continue to grow in an experience and a knowledge of God.

Does the growth all happen in one day from a seed to a might mustard tree? No! Of course not. Can we watch a tree grow? No, but we can measure the growth of a tree over a certain period of time.
And so it is for you and I. We must exercise patience. As God works in our lives, changes will be almost imperceptible. Slowly but surely as we daily feed from His living word, we will change and grow. Then, we will be able to look back on our life, to a year or so ago, and say "Yes, I can see how God has been working in my life, I have changed from what I used to be".

And when we are walking with God, and living His life, just like a tree bears fruit and is a blessing to those around it, we too will bear fruit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

The grace of Christ must be woven into every phase of the character. . . . Daily growth into the life of Christ creates in the soul a heaven of peace; in such a life there is continual fruit bearing. . . . In the lives of those who are ransomed by the blood of Christ, self-sacrifice will constantly appear. Goodness and righteousness will be seen. The quiet, inward experience will make the life full of godliness, faith, meekness, patience. This is to be our daily experience. We are to form characters free from sin--characters made righteous in and by the grace of Christ. - Amazing Grace, by Ellen G White, p. 320