I Am the Seed

Rev. Tim Travers

Reading

Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Matthew 13:3-9

Reflection

It amazes me that the stories Jesus told—rooted in the daily lives of his listeners—continue to offer spiritual insight two millennia later. Each time we return to these parables, we find something new to ponder. The parable of the sower and the soil is no exception, and I find it to be timeless.

For years, I’ve read this passage and asked: What kind of soil am I? Or, perhaps more importantly, What kind of soil do I want to become? Lately, though, I’ve been asking a different question: Am I the seed? If so, how do I begin sprouting and growing as God desires?

In high school, I was part of Future Farmers of America and took vocational agriculture classes. One of the things we studied was how a seed begins to germinate. Germination is the process by which a plant grows from a seed into a seedling. A seed remains dormant until conditions are favorable—requiring water, oxygen, and the right temperature. The food stores within the seed begin breaking down, and when that happens, the potential for growth becomes reality.

This speaks to my spirit about God and Lent. Lent is a season to look deep within, to notice what is dormant in me and what needs to be nourished by God so I can grow into what God intends. Jesus is the source of water I need—the Living Water that activates and sustains my growth. This isn’t something I can do on my own. It’s something I must receive, something I must absorb. And it requires deep reflection.

Sometimes, that means examining what’s blocking my growth. Is there something I haven’t forgiven—either in myself or in someone else? Is there something God is calling me toward that fear or hesitation has kept me from pursuing? Whatever my spiritual struggle, I know the remedy is Jesus. And during Lent, my goal is to spend time absorbing the Living Water.

Christ has so much growth in store for me, but it takes more than my efforts to bring it to fruition. In fact, ironically, it’s not about my effort at all. It’s about whether I am willing to surrender—to trust God’s work in me and allow God to do what only God can.

I am the seed, receiving Living Water, growing into what God calls me to be.

Prayer:
Loving God, help me absorb the Living Water. It is always available to me, but sometimes I forget. Remind me. Water my life. Awaken what lies dormant within me. Help me grow in grace, love, and peace. Amen.