“So,” said Blessing. “Making bread can’t be that difficult, can it? Jake works at the bakery counter in Tesco. If he can manage it, I’m sure we can.”
“Let’s see what the recipe says,” said Ben. “I’ll read it out and you can measure everything. 500 grams of flour…” Blessing poured flour in the bowl, carefully weighing it out on the scales.
“Next, 7 grams of yeast,” said Ben.
“Doesn’t seem much,” muttered Blessing. She snipped the corner of the packet and sprinkled in the dried yeast. She peered at the tiny amount of brown powder. “Shall we put some more in?”
Before Ben could do anything, Blessing had emptied the whole packet into the bowl and was halfway through adding another.
“I don’t think we need that much!” shouted her brother.
“Shut up! What do you know about it, anyway?”
“Alright, alright.” Ben backed off from his sister. “You do it your way and I’ll follow the recipe. Then we’ll see who’s right.”
“Fine. Please yourself.”
“Loser.”
“Shut your face.”
Blessing and Ben made their competing doughs and left them to rise in a warm spot over the radiator. After an hour or so, they came back into the kitchen.
“Urgh! What’s that smell?” said Ben.
“Must be you,” said Blessing. “When did you last wash?”
The sight of the two bowls made them stop in their tracks. Ben’s dough had risen so that it was just touching the cling film he had covered it with. Blessing’s, on the other hand, was a completely different matter. Her dough had burst through the cling film and was dripping down the radiator like some horrific Doctor Who monster.
“What the—?”
“See, little sister, you didn’t follow the recipe. You only need a bit of yeast.”
“OK, OK, don’t go on about. You’ve got to help me clean this up before Mum gets back. You know she likes everything sparkling. She’s going to freak out when she sees this.”
They started to slowly scrape the dough off the radiator, table and floor. Then they heard a key turn in the front door.
“I’m back, kids!” shouted their mum. “I hope you haven’t made too much mess!”
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- Who are you most like in this story? Why?
- If this story is a parable, what might it really be about?
- Can you think of something small that makes a massive difference, like the yeast?
- In your life, what is like yeast: a small thing that makes a massive difference?
This story is based on Matthew 13:33. Read this verse with the group and compare it with this story. Discuss what Jesus might be saying through his story. What is the kingdom of heaven?
