Leave Boldly: Planting for the Future March 16, 2010

Leave Boldly: Planting for the Future

March 16, 2010

One Month to Live

30 days to a no-regrets Life

by Kerry and Chris Shook.

Principle 1: Live Passionately, Living each day as if it were your last.

Principle 2: Love Completely, showing others love that transcends and transforms.

Principle 3: Learn Humbly, growing through your problems and pain

Principle 4: Leave Boldly, Creating a legacy that will impact generations

Day 24, March 16, 2010—Planting for the Future

“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Faith is to believe hat you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” – Saint Augustine

And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Matthew 13:3-8

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12:24

Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!— Galatians 6:7

Every day, every moment, with every action, you’re planting something. So the question is what exactly are you planting? What is the cumulative effect of your words, actions, and intentions on those around you and those ahead of you?

From the outside, it may be difficult to discern between a seed and a pebble. But of course, inside they are vastly different. The seed has power and potential in it; it produces life. Unfortunately, some of us are spending our time planting rocks that have no potential, no life, and no fruit.

What item represents an enduring legacy to you – a family home? Your grandmother’s ring? Your family reputation? Your favorite mountain? The ocean? Something else?

Spiritual Gardening

In Matthew 13, Jesus tells a parable about a farmer who believes in the power of his seeds. He is planting seeds of faith. If we’re going to live lives that outlast us, then we must continually plant seeds of faith.

When people look at your life from the outside what do they see? Does it appear that you are a success farmer? The test to determine if we’re planting really seeds or not, comes your motivation for planting. Are you planting seeds to meet your own needs or to meet the needs of others? John 12:24 reminds us that the nature of seeds is to die, to give itself for others. When we invest in people’s lives, then our legacy becomes like a giant oak, providing life for generations to come.

What did you do this last week that will last for the rest of this year? For ten years? For eternity? How much time did you spend this week reading God’s Word compared to the time you spent searching the web or watching television?

Soil Samples

Most farmers will tell you that where you plant is just as important as what you plant. Jesus’ parable in Matthew 13 talks about different types of soil, different types of lives that come in contact with the Word of God.

1.  Callous Life: Not interested in spiritual things at all. They live for themselves.

2.  Comfortable Life: These people follow Jesus but are not growing deep in their relationship with him. They give up and drop out when the problems and stresses of life arise.

3.  Crowded Life: The seed begins to grow, but then the thorns and weeds choke out the young plants. Each day brings good intentions for spending time with God, but it never happens.

4.  Rich Life: This person spends time with God, lets the word grow and bear fruit in their life.

If you want to know that your life matters, then you must be willing to plant eternal seeds in the fertile places of your life. When you focus on knowing God’s Word and commit to loving others selflessly, you can expect God to be actively in your life, helping you to put down roots and bear fruit for others.

Prayer: Merciful God, Why does it feel like a chore to serve you? I struggle to spend time with you, to trust you, to let you in my heart. Here I am Lord. Work the soil of my life to be able to receive the eternal seeds of your kingdom. Amen.