December 1, 2021 – Click here to listen
Robert Louis Stevenson once said, “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” I used to plant Longleaf pines on my property. Other trees grew much faster and could be harvested and make the most business sense, but Longleaf Pines . . . well they are beautiful. In fact, these trees are the most beautiful of all pines in my estimation. I also love them because they are hardy and resilient and can weather-controlled burns from seedlings until fully mature. I admire those traits. I was fully aware that it would not be possible for me to live long enough to ever see them reach their optimum size and splendor, but I planted them at great expense anyway, knowing someone in the future would greatly benefit from them.
I think it is the same in witnessing to people. I have spoken thousands of times, built and founded a church, written books, witnessed to private individuals one on one, and of course written Words for the Day five days a week for decades. I don’t know how many people might have benefitted from my effort. Some might have been excited by it at first and after it cooled went right back to doing what they have always been doing. Some might have rejected it outright. But undoubtedly some held on and matured into the beautiful stately creatures our Father in heaven formed in the womb.
As I thought about this today, I thought about the little seedling pines. Not all of them make it to glorious full maturity that will nearly take your breath away when you gaze upon them. Surviving nature’s droughts, floods, storms, controlled burns, and greedy landowners who harvest the young trees before their time, take their toll, but there are the hardy and resilient ones, and they make it to towering heights.
My hope for the seeds I’ve planted for our Lord is they will result in towering Christians going out like an army to plant seeds of their own and thus increase the Kingdom of Heaven. My little analogy is kind of dumb compared to Jesus discussing this subject.
Here is how He describes it:
|
Parable |
Meaning |
Significance for today |
|
A man went out to sow grain. |
The man represents God and the seed is His message. |
Just as a planted seed starts to grow, the word of God starts to deepen and grow within a person. |
|
Some seed fell on the path and the birds ate it. |
The birds represent Satan. The seed on the path represents people who hear the message, but it is immediately lost. |
There are people who don’t live a good Christian life because they are focused on other things. |
|
Some seed fell on rocky ground where there was little soil. The seed soon sprouted, but when the sun came up it burnt the young plants. |
The seed on the rocky ground represents people who respond with initial enthusiasm, but the word of God does not sink in deep. When persecution or hard times (represented by the sun) come along they give up at once. |
People cannot commit to the Christian lifestyle. They are initially attracted but give up when the going gets tough. |
|
Some seed fell among thorn bushes which grew up and choked the plants. |
The thorn bushes choke the message of God. It is heard, but people’s concern for riches and their worries about life cause the plants to die. |
Some people are too concerned with what others think and they worry too much. They may be jealous, angry or concerned with materialism. |
|
Some seed fell on good soil and the plants produced corn. |
Good soil represents people who hear the message and live it in their lives. |
Some people have strong faith and remain dedicated to a Christian lifestyle, even when things are difficult. |
1 Corinthians 3:6
I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.