Planting Seeds.

I rolled up my jeans just above my ankles after tripping too many times. My worn blue jeans, streaked with dirt, were already too big for me as it was; me being so short.  Creeping deep into the tall green bushes, I pushed a branch from the tomato plant out of my hair. I let out a determined breath as I steadily reached my fingers through the branches trying to pick the bright red ones amiss the round green ones. I looked down at my basket full of onions, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers; sighing contently.  I wiggled my bare feet out of the dirt and leaned over to make sure I picked the last of the ripe veggies. I remember when Dad first planted our garden; way back before the summer started.  It is hard to believe that our garden started from little seeds.  My thoughts were suddenly disturbed by the grasshopper I caught out of the corner of my eye. The little green bug, so intricately designed, sat a few feet from me. His antennas moved swiftly as I shifted my position. I smiled and looked back to my work.  I picked one tomato, then quickly plopped in into my mouth; juicy and sweet. I pulled up onions and radishes. I began to think about how God commands us to plant seeds; how He commands us to "go and make disciples of all the nations.." {Matthew 28:19}.  Witnessing and sharing our faith can be hard; I will be the first one to admit. I recalled a few weeks back, witnessing to a friend. Starting with a simple question, I began to dig deep into her thoughts and her beliefs.  My heart pounded at the beginning of the conversation, my hands were clammy, and I began to ask myself, why I even started this discussion. Question after question, insult after insult, I began to feel discouraged. I prayed over and over in my head asking God for the words to dispute her. The more I listened to her, the more I felt sorry for her. I truly cared about her. I walked away from the conversation hurt and rejected. I felt beaten and worn like an old abused rug; stepped on and left on the floor.  But then I began to realize that it's not me that she's rejecting; it's God's Word. After that realization, it festered inside of me at the thought of someone hating and rejecting Jesus and His gift. Those thoughts swarmed my head; I felt like someone punched me in the stomach. But God says, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." {Hebrews 4:12}. No best argument is going to turn their hearts to God. No convincing debate will win her over to the truth. I could argue and debate for hour and hours; I could condemn and convict with my words, but nothing will prevail except the Word of our Almighty God! He will open the eyes of the lost, and one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord. I thought back to the seeds; those tiny little seeds. So small, they could lay in the palm of my hand. All it takes for them to grow is to cover them with dirt and water them daily. Not knowing if they will ever produce and flourish, we plant them with faith.  Just like witnessing, we give others Bible verses and pray for them daily; not knowing how God will use those tiny seeds. We must have faith to know that God is in control.  Our job is to plant, God will work through us. 

 ^"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.  So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." {1 Corinthians 3:6-7}