The Value of Wasted Seed

SCRIPTURE: Matt. 13:3-8 "Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!

OBSERVATION: We get frustrated that we plant and plant and plant into other people's lives (give encouagement, advice, service, love) and it seems to have so little effect. Even in our own families and with our own kids it seems like the planting never ends and the harvest never starts. This parable illustrates a very important side point--it takes a lot of planting to reap a good harvest. Yes a harvest will come, but only after a lot of planting. Don't get discouraged by the seed that falls on barren soil, just depend on God for those few seeds that find the good soil and bear fruit.

Don't stop loving. Don't stop serving. Don't stop giving of yourself--it will make a difference, in time with some people.

APPLICATION/CONFESSION: I can get so hung up on those in whom I have planted the most seed and seem to have gotten the least return. I need to realize from this parable that this is the way things are!! Most seed will be "wasted" (it is never truly wasted, it changes me to plant it and I never know when it may effect the person planted into) but that's the way it is, and in the face of that I must still keep planting, knowing that the harvest is up to God not me.

PRAYER: Lord, help me when I get discouraged that my planting has had so little effect. Keep my eyes focused on being faithful not fruitful. My fruitfulness is in your hands, my faithfulness is in mine.