Scatter Good Seed!

Today I planted some seeds in our small garden in the back yard.  I planted some chili peppers and tomatoes in pursuit of some delicious fresh salsa.  As I poured the seeds into my palm from the tiny packet, I looked from the tiny seeds to the picture of a huge tomato on the envelope.  The pale, dry seeds were extremely tiny, yet the package said to plant them almost a full meter apart!  It is phenomenal that one miniscule seed in the proper environment will certainly sprout into a large bush and bear much fruit.  Amazing!

Planting the seeds was very simple.  I felt no pressure whatsoever, because the growth of the plant and its fruitfulness does not depend on my ability.  They will either grow or they won't.  If there is not growth I will plant more!  I carefully dropped seeds into a slight depression, covered it with soil, and pressed it firmly.  In mere minutes I had sown, watered, and now the waiting begins!  I was reminded of a passage of scripture, Psalm 126:6: "He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."  This is a great verse which illustrates well the heart of evangelism.  For the love of God and His everlasting glory, we are to humbly, meekly, and obediently sow seed in the hearts of any who will receive.  In the Parable of the Sower, the seed is the Word of God (the Bible) and the condition of the soil represents the hearts of the hearers.  Not all seed that is sown will grow, but some will.  God's Word is the seed of finest quality and we can trust it will be fruitful according to God's promises.

I think many people put pressure on themselves when it comes to evangelism.  Instead of holding fast to the spiritual perspective that sometimes we sow, water, or harvest in complete reliance upon God, we can make an activity to personally measure our faith and holiness.  When the Word is rejected we take it personally.  When seeds are sown and nothing seems to have changed, we can become disillusioned and lose heart.  As I planted those seeds in boxes filled with clean topsoil, all my confidence was in the seed and the Designer who engineered it:  God.  It should be exactly the same when I share scripture and my faith with others.  Instead of placing my confidence in my words, experience, training, or a tract, I ought to place my faith in God's Word, the blood of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit to regenerate and save.

When the use of God's Word is divorced from evangelism, we should not be surprised when our effort is wasted.  It is like turning the earth with a spade but never planting anything!  Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:6-8, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. ⁷ So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. ⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labour."  If we are faithful to share the Word of God as led by the Holy Spirit, God will give the increase.  God's Word will always accomplish the purpose for which it is sent, and will never return void.  Scatter it liberally!  If much fruit can come from a tiny dry seed which satisfies the mouth and stomach temporarily, how much greater is an eternal harvest of souls for the glory of God?