Planting Seeds
Sowing the Fruit of the Spirit
Into the Hearts of Our Children
Even before spring sunshine be- gins to warm the earth, I start hinking about gardening. By mid-March I have sorted
through my garden seeds, both those I
have saved from last year’s bounty and
new seed packets I have ordered. After
gathering my seeds, I start laying out my
garden plans. Long before a single black
dot of promise is tucked gently into the
earth, it has made a contribution to my
plans, because garden plans always start
with the seeds. Without seeds there is no
garden and there is no harvest; a bounti-
ful harvest always begins with a tiny seed.
. . . A bountiful
harvest always
begins with a
tiny seed.
If there is one sad truth I have learned
in all my years of gardening, it is that although seeds are produced when a plant
is in full bloom or the fruit is fully ripe,
they are not ready to be harvested, saved,
or planted until that flower, fruit, or vegetable has sacrificed its bounty. Flowers and grains must die, wither, and dry
before their seeds can fall to the ground
and spring up again as new life. Fruits
24;March;2013;•;His;Joyful;Homeschooler
and vegetables must be plucked from
the plant, the flesh sliced open, and the
seeds scooped out and dried before they,
too, are ready to be buried in the earth
and have the opportunity to spring forth
again as new life ready to produce new
fruit. Even Scripture verifies this: “Ver-
ily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of
wheat fall into the ground and die, it abi-
deth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth
much fruit” (John 12: 24). If I hope to pass
on even one tiny seed, I know that those
seeds must first be fully ripened in my
life and then sacrificially surrendered.
