The kingdom of God is like yeast?

And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. – Luke 13.20-21

Mary and Ais and I have been watching the great British Bake Off on Netflix. It’s a lot of fun, and it is interesting because they include a lot of history of baking in the episodes.  I like the bread episode because, well, I like bread. In nearly every bread episode we learn more about the importance of leavening to make most breads. Usually it is yeast, but a few other things come up occasionally.

The important thing is that yeast is important to give most bread their texture. The way I remember is the yeast causes the gluten in the bread to ‘explode’ and expand to the right texture. The dough has to prove and be stretched and be proved again.

But when all that is said and done and the bread is baked you have the joy of cutting a slice or tearing into a delicious loaf of bread. The leaven has done its bit and borne its fruit.

And this is how Jesus describes leaven. The kingdom of God, you and me, are sent out into the world. We are going to be ground and kneaded into the ‘dough’ and let aside to prove that we are alive and doing our job. Then more kneading and proving. Then then baking or trying by fire and the end result is that the sticky wet mass of tasteless dough has been transformed into a masterpiece.

As the kingdom of God is kneaded into the world it is vital that the leaven be alive and vibrant. Dead yeast has no impact. The bread comes out flat and tasteless and gross.

Are we shining the light? Are we shaking the salt? Are we leavening the world around us?