I’ve jumped on the bandwagon. If you believe social media’s opinion on the matter, I’m halfway to the homestead life, only missing a dozen chickens in the backyard. That’s right; I’ve joined the up-trending number who’ve attempted to make sourdough bread.   

My experience? Well, if you noticed my use of the word “attempted” then you’ll not be surprised to hear that I’ve had… let’s say, ‘mixed’ results.  I’ve managed for several months now to keep this fermenting flour and water “alive”, but that is where my success runs out.  I’ve attempted loaf after loaf – some of them flat as a pancake, or tough as a steak left too long on the barbeque, or tasteless as a stale cracker (or, in one episode gone horribly wrong, all three!). But it hasn’t yet turned out quite right, or even right enough to claim that I can “make” sourdough bread. However, I’ve learned quite a lot along the way through trial and error, a bit of research, and chatting to other ‘sourdoughers’ – a group which is in desperate need of a more catchy name. 

One such lesson has been a little insight into the parable Jesus told in Matthew 13:33 about leaven in the dough. Jesus used parables to explain Kingdom realities using common earthly experiences; and although we live in a different time and culture, the truth remains the same today.

In the parable, Jesus says “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour till it was all leavened.” The parable shows the small-beginning, all-encompassing, totally-permeating, externally-affecting nature of the Kingdom. As we consider that leaven working through the dough, we can be encouraged that we will see the outcome of the Kingdom-leaven working and permeating the dough of our world. The leaven (think sourdough starter, or yeast) is a tiny percentage of the total ingredients which make a loaf of bread. But, overnight, in the hush of a sleeping home the permeating leaven moves through the dough bringing change and growth until morning when the bubbly dough has doubled in size and is ready for baking.  The Kingdom of God is like that!  It starts small like leaven in the heart of those who hear the good news and it works through every part of us and actually causes real change and growth in our lives.   

In some sense, the Kingdom is going to grow and permeate regardless of our individual participation; God’s Kingdom is ever-advancing and increasing. But what has excited me afresh is that a woman took and hid the leaven in the flour. I want to be like that, a woman that sees the Kingdom advance because I’m a willing participant. I want to be a woman in ‘voluntary submission’ to the King of the Kingdom, as Sunil provoked us a few weeks ago. I want to be a woman who sees His Kingdom come and His will done on earth as it is in heaven, today.  

So here is me, hands covered in sourdough, thinking of the Kingdom which is like leaven in the loaf, and I have this to share:   

Lessons in Letting the Kingdom Permeate like Leaven 

First, don’t pour cold water on it. That might seem obvious to any baker; but believe it or not, my cold-water mistake was actually an attempt to follow instructions. My first recipe (I’ve tried many hoping the recipe was the issue, not the baker) indicated that filtered water should be used to make and maintain a sourdough starter. I have filtered water… from the refrigerator, nice and cold. So, in my excitement to use this “superior water”, I skipped the bit of the instructions that specified room temperature. By dumping cold water all over my fledgling sourdough I was making everything harder and slowing the fermenting process right down time and time again. 

Now in terms of the spiritual leaven, the Holy Spirit is at work all the time. He’s softening, speaking, loving, pursuing, provoking.  That’s how we were once led to salvation. And now, He says to us, “I’ll use you. It has always been my plan. I’ll let you in on who I’m wooing when I’m drawing them near. And your attitudes, words, and actions can reveal who Christ is and that He’s in the business of saving.”   

It’s really such an incredible invitation! And when we ask, He gives all the instructions and they’re really quite simple (certainly more simple than some of these sourdough recipes). Of course, it’ll cost us some time, some money, and some pride, but the tasks remain totally achievable with His power. So rather than pour cold water on the work of the Holy Spirit with dismissive attitudes, careless words, unkind actions, trite expressions, overindulged emotions, aggressive endorsements, or flippant use of His Word, we’re invited, called, and empowered to help create good conditions for growth. We’re invited to radiate His love to our neighbours, co-workers, friends, and the stranger on the bus. And partnered with Him, we see His Kingdom advance.          

Second, don’t mis-measure. The best cook in our family is by far and away my grandmother. Missing her famous egg noodles, I asked for the recipe a few years back and was given it complete with ‘half an eggshell worth,’ ‘a generous amount of,’ and ‘until it feels right’ measurements of the various ingredients. Not a single number was mentioned. With this as my heritage, I attempted the same nonchalant approach to measuring for my first sourdough loaf… it didn’t work. Accepting defeat, and being an American, I took out my American measuring cups and tried again. But the recipe was in British measurements and my rough calculations still weren’t precise enough. I’ve realised I need some weighing scales.            

So, what does this have to do with the Kingdom? As we know, Jesus is the King of the Kingdom. His standards are the only measurements acceptable and right in His kingdom. Just like my half an eggshell measurements and American cups haven’t been accurate enough to produce bread, so too we mustn’t think that a “ah, that’ll be close enough” attitude is going to produce the fruit of His Kingdom. Part of me being like that woman who puts the leaven of the Kingdom into her life and the world around her is learning to say in willing submission to Jesus, “You rule. You reign. Your Kingdom. Your ways.” While I appreciate and celebrate my heritage and culture with the best of them, they are not what I measure my life against. I want to live as He directs, in every detail. Not by rough calculations or nonchalant guesswork. But by following the King, learning His ways, and walking His paths.

This Kingdom we’re a part of, like the leaven, totally permeates and incredibly transforms everything it touches. And unlike my sourdough bread, the result is always amazing. And it’s equally amazing that God has designed for us to be involved. We participate in love and patience as the Kingdom of God works into our homes, our families, our neighbourhood, our places of work, our local park, our shops, and café – everywhere we go His Kingdom is at work.