“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6)
While living in West Texas and working with a congregation there for several years, we recognized early on that the preacher’s home was rather small for a family of five. The elders assured us that if we could overlook that factor for a short time, they would sell the older house and build a new one … one that would accommodate our family.
We did! They did! Part of the process after construction and moving in was putting in a yard. What a challenging and arduous project, but one that with time, sweat, labor and water produced a beautiful yard.
The advice given to me by those in the congregation and in the community who knew more about these kinds of things urged me to be sure and sow plenty of seeds in both the front and back and along the sides of the house. “Don’t be stingy with the seed” some would say. Others would say “Better to over seed rather than hit and miss.”
All of these suggestions and more would bear fruit in the beauty of a fully green lawn, which for West Texas was saying a lot!
Life is like sowing seed in the location where one wants to grow or produce something worthwhile. As we travel through this life, we meet so many people … people with their own challenges, sins, problems and talents. And for so many, they are hungry for a little peace in their hearts and lives.
Those of us who have been called by the gospel of Christ to become a disciple of Christ, a follower of the Lord … have been given the responsibility of sowing good seed. We have been given the privilege of sowing seeds of faith and hope … seeds of encouragement and forgiveness … seeds of mercy and Christlikeness.
Sometimes we underestimate the power of sowing good seeds into the hearts, minds and lives of those around us. Robert Louis Stevenson made this observation, “Don’t judge each day by the harvest that you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”
Part of our stewardship and privilege is to be busy every day of our lives planting a seed … a word … of love, hope, peace and encouragement deep into others’ lives! My wife and I had the wonderful privilege for twenty plus years of planting seeds of hope and faith in the hearts and minds of young people! We have seen many of those seeds take hold, grow and mature and bear much fruit.
We have watched as those whose hearts we prayed to reach, encourage and strengthen grow up in their faith and service to the Lord. They have grown up and have families of their own and many are sending their kids to camp somewhere!
Some have grown up to become preachers, deacons, teachers and people who are successful in their various endeavors of life! What a sight to behold, like the farmer who goes out and views the fields he has labored so long and hard in flourish with the crops he hoped and prayed for!
Some of the seeds we planted simply didn’t take root for whatever reason or reasons and that is truly a sad sight to see when there is an empty spot where a healthy and fruitful plant was supposed to be growing. In some cases we have seen some seed take hold, break the surface of the ground only to wither and die because of the hard and difficult world we must all live in!
Rather than appearing to somehow take credit for those who have grown up and become fruitful … what I am trying to say is that we can all plant seeds of hope and faith, peace and love … to all age groups!
This, my friends is a part of the wonderful privilege of serving a living God with a living message that has the power to change hearts and lives! So, let us all become better at seed sowing … nurturing those seeds with a prayer and a smile … and watch what happens!
Never underestimate the power of a seed!
“… but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.” (Proverbs 11:18)
Bill Fairchild, Jr.
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