Planting & Watering
Have you ever planted anything from seed?
We buy Phineas yogurt, and for a while they came with seeds. So we planted them with him. They were carrots.
In Seattle one of our friends had a wonderful vegetable garden… we called it a farm, and each year she gave us tomato starts.
___
This Week as I read the Gospel Text my mind was taken to a passage in 1 Corinthians.
Read 1 Corinthians 3:5-9.
Paul reminds us:
· We plant, we water.
· God causes growth.
In regards to your faith and life –
What does this image of planting and watering bring to your mind?
What does it make you think of?
In our North American world view: We often focus on the physical growth of an item: A child, business or church.
We often focus on being a Big Church – when what we need to focus on is being Church Big!
Our empire thinking drives us to want to be big and powerful.
Our empire thinking wants us to be the mega church drawing thousands of people.
But in General, that’s not who we are:
· We all have stories of success.
· Our little church has some amazing stories. I think of:
A young girl who grew up as a “bus kid” – is now a missionary
A young adult – heard God’s call on his life and is now an ordained Elder in the CotN
(What other stories do you have?)
___
Read Matthew 13:36-43
Jesus says: Whoever has ears – let them hear.
· We all have ears. We all have the ability to hear. Even those with ears that don’t work, have the ability to hear. Through sign language, writing. We can communicate.
· Sometimes we get overwhelmed with the objective of making sure they all hear and that they hear it to the point of decision and transformation.
· WE get so consumed with the decision and transformation that we forget that the growth isn’t our job. Our job is to plant the seed. Our job is to water.
We are called to plant. And planting is messy!
(it’s dirty, and sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t) But we keep planting!)
___
In Seattle: at Mosaic – we did a lot of planting, and watering… but we didn’t always get to see the growth.
At times it was frustrating – particularly when the questions were asked by people with the mindset that we (as the church) cause the growth.
We do like to see growth. It’s exciting, it’s rewarding. It’s awe inspiring.
We will see growth. We will see fruit – when we are faithfully participating in who God has called us to be!
Growth is not our job: it’s an outcome of our role. We are called to Plant. We are called to Water.
Whose seed are you planting?
Are you planting the Seed of Righteousness or Wickedness?
Take time to pray for those God has placed in your path… in your heart. Pray for those where you are planting seeds of compassion, seeds of grace, and seeds of love. (and plant.)
_____
As you go – plant, water, and love, and watch what God does with your faithfulness. Go and Love!
No comments:
Post a Comment