How much faith do you need to plant a seed and to make it grow?
Planting feels like a lot of work without seeing much results on the spot. Actually, if you’ve experienced planting any seed in your backyard, your front yard, your vegetable garden, even a pot in the windowsill, you know that all you’re doing is burying the seed.
However, all it takes is enough faith to prepare the soil and bury that seed in the soil and cover it. So, the job is done for the person who plants. The question is when we plant, do we plant with a desire to harvest? Harvesting may not be our job in bringing people to salvation. Ours may be just to plant the seed.
Planting is the foundation of sharing seeds. Once you and I scatter seeds, there's a need for watering. Sometimes the people who plant are the same as those who water. Yet, in this passage, we have a perfect example of two people looking after the planting and nurturing process—Paul and Apollos.
So, if you believe God has called you to plant, please do. Keep planting. While plants need water, God may use someone else to water those plants. Other times, he can send rain. That’s why it’s important not to worry about the growth of the plant, but to trust God.
God may ask us to water or plant. Either way, He is the one who makes everything become fruitful. He takes our efforts then works behind the scenes to bring the harvest.
Heavenly Father, please give me enough faith to plant seeds if that is what you have called me to do. Help me to do what needs to be done and to trust you with the rest. In Jesus’ name, I ask. Amen.
Go Deeper — Please read 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 or read the whole chapter to understand the passage further. Where can you plant a seed of the gospel today? Just do it. The result will follow.
Photo Credit: James Wheeler