In case you don't know the song, it's a sing and repeat song that begins: There was a little hole, the prettiest little hole, that that you ever did see. Well, the hole's in the ground and the green grass grows all around, all around. The green grass grows all around.
And in that hole, there was a little seed, the prettiest little seed, that you ever did see. Well, the seed's in the hole and the hole's in the ground and the green grass grows all around, all around. The green grass grows all around.
The song continues until that seed has grown into a tree with branches and leaves and fruit. And of course, in the fruit are more seeds, so this is the kind of song that could continue forever. And it does continue - every day, somewhere there is some seed being planted and there is something growing from that seed.
Our youngest son, Caden, has taken up the hobby of seed collecting. Perhaps it is because his class at school has an interactive garden, so he's fascinated by thing that grow. I'm fascinated by his fascination; the wonder in his face when he asks a question like, "Do bananas have seeds?"
Even at five years old, I think Caden would understand the statement my father made to me on many days of my adolescence - "You can't grow a pine tree from a cactus seed." What you plant is what will grow. What you put in, is what you will get out.
Matthew 17: 16-20, says it this way:
16.You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
17.Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18.A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19.Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20.Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Every thought, word and deed represents a seed. What are we planting?
The things that we think are seeds we plant in ourselves. Did I wake up this morning believing God for my best? Did I fall asleep angry and wake up carrying that same pain? Do I look at myself in the bathroom mirror and see someone I love? Or even still, do I see someone I like? Do I face the day with passion or with fear? What type of fruit will my thoughts bear today?
The things that we say are seeds that we plant on the hearer. Folks who know me, know I take words very seriously. I irritate the people closest to me because sometimes it takes me a long time to get things off my chest. I strive to say things properly the first time, so that I won't want, later, to take them back - to regret having said something. That's not always easy - to hold my tongue. To, in the words of Rudyard Kipling, "Keep [my] head when all about [me] people are losing theirs and blaming it on [me]."
When we look at the words we use - with our loved ones, with our friends, our co-workers, with strangers - what do we hope will come from them? Are the words we use spoken in a spirit of love and in the best interest of the recipient? Will those words inprove or worsen the situation? Are they words of life, or words or death? Are they meant to build up or tear down? What fruit will our words bear today?
The things we do are seeds we plant on those who witness our actions. Are we fast moving, or slow as molasses? Do we set out after things with purpose, or let life happen to us? Do we create moments for kindness - giving to those in need in whatever way we can? Or are we standing around waiting for the world to give us our due? Have we done anything to impact the world in a positive way? That could be an act as simple as smiling at someone, "just because." We never know what kind of day that person was having before our smile and the impact that one act could have on the rest of their day or the rest of their life. What fruit will our deeds bear today?
And once we have our seeds, where do we plant them?
One of the most well known of Jesus' parables is retold in the 4th chapter of the Gospel of Mark. We learn in this parable that seeds must be properly planted and properly nourished. Verses 3 through 8 say:
3."Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.
4.And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.
5.Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.
6.But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.
7.And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8.But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."
Further along in the chapter, verses 14-20, we get an explaination of the parable. Seeds are likened to God's word.
14.The sower sows the word.
15.And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16.These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17.and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble.
18.Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,
19.and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20.But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred."
Where have we planted our seeds and what has grown from them?
Are we even giving any thought to this? Are we planting good seeds - good thoughts, good words, good deeds - on good ground where it will bear good fruit?
Are we planting unhealthy seeds - unhealthy thoughts, unhealthy words, unhealthy actions - on good ground? Won't those things also bear an abundance of fruit? And would it be fruit that we'd want to feed anyone? Better still, would it be fruit we'd want to consume ourselves?
How about good seeds on unfertile ground? Have you ever done something that you thought, or knew was great, just to feel later like you'd wasted your time? Like your effort was in vain? Maybe you counseled someone on leaving an abusive relationship and they stayed. Maybe you suggested that someone go back to school and although they listened attentively, they didn't enroll. Perhaps you paid someone's car note, rent or phone bill in a month when they were down and the next month - well, they were in the same spot.
Should you not have done these things? Should you not have spoken these words? Or were they just not left fertile ground? There are possibly thorns and weeds: the receivers own words, thoughts or deeds that are in the way of receiving. It could be Satan -as verse 15 suggests - the minute your good word is planted - someone else comes along to crush it.
Maybe someone else saw what you did or heard what you said and was touched to be better to themselves or for someone else. Perhaps your action or word lasted long enough to cause that person to smile - however briefly it might have been. And wouldn't that make it worth it?
My hope and my prayer for everyone that is reading this, is that we are planting good seeds -good thoughts, good words and good deeds. And that those seeds are on good ground - an open heart, a willing listener, a grateful recipient. That those who taste our fruit, will say that it came from a good tree and that they will take seeds from our fruit and continue to plant.
