Seeds of Love

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God...But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Luke 8:11, 15. (KJV)

Mother started tomatoes with seed she saved from last year's crop. She bought soil and peat pots. She carefully poked two holes in each pot of soil, dropped in two seeds and watered them. Putting each pot in plastic sandwich bags, she sealed them and set them on the window sill in the sun. Every day Mom watched them, looking for the tiny plants to emerge. Two weeks went by without a sign of green. She opened the bags, poked two more holes and planted more seeds.

In due time, two small plants emerged. Mom was so happy. She called me to her kitchen to show me the tiny tomato plants. I was happy for her. "But, don't plant too many tomatoes," I told her. Just like the seed scattered on good soil (Luke 8:8), Mom's tomatoes multiplied. I saw four plants in each pot. "I didn't think the first two would grow," she said in her defense. Now we would have enough tomatoes to share with the whole family and probably some neighbors too.

Many times I share Jesus' Word, planting seeds as He did in Luke 8:11-15. I hope the "seeds" are in fertile soil. Sometmes the need for replanting is apparent so I gently sow the seeds of His love again in a different way, hoping for a bumper crop. Sometimes my efforts are rewarded for I have witnessed new Christians being baptized. What joy fills my soul!

Father, bless Your garden. Amen.

(c) 2012 Evelyn B. Ryan