“A sower went out to sow his seed…And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bear fruit an hundredfold.” (Luke 8:5,8).
I have a habit of picking seed heads off flowers and planting them in pots of soil. If they come up I am pleased and if they don’t, I have not really lost anything except a tiny brown speck that could be anything.
One particular seed, not expected to grow, came up. I have planted similar seeds and have been mostly pleased with outcomes. This one has left me somewhat perplexed to say the least!
It does not look anything like what it would be expected to look like. It has grown into a different shape, a different colour, the leaves are at odds with every other plant of the same family, and the small flower, while it can be forgiven for its size, bears no family likeness.
I remember putting the seed into this particular pot so there is no doubt about its parentage. It is who it is supposed to be but it is nothing like who it is supposed to be!
One day I found a tiny moth attached to one leaf of the new flower and it looked appealing. It stayed there for several days, drawing nourishment from the recalcitrant flower that would sustain it for its long flight afterwards.
A friend called and I was excited to tell her of the new flower and its history. I even hoped she would want a cutting when the plant was big enough to part with a piece of itself. But she had blind thoughts and deaf ears and was totally unimpressed with what I thought was a fascinating experience to share.
And that, I thought, it is like sharing something new you have discovered in your Bible. You are excited and you want to share it. You are overjoyed to share with a friend whom, you believe, will be as delighted as you are.
And what happens? Deaf ears and boredom. Calamity. You each go your way without having truly shared an experience you wanted to pour into her lap–sorry–ears. You are drained, disappointed, depressed.
Some day, however, your dead seed may bear fruit. It may come to life where it is least expected and it may be something others will want to examine and enjoy more than you could have believed possible. Your friend may come to you with a seed you planted and which she has kept with an honest heart until it patiently brings forth fruit. She comes to share her joy and you will understand why you must not disappoint her.
As Jesus said, a sower went out to sow his seed, some fell on rock, some fell among thorns and others fell on good ground. Then he said, “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” (Luke 8:11).
Verse 15, “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.”
You both rejoice together as you share yourselves.
By the way, have you worked out what my unusual flower is? Daisy? — no. Violet? — no. Lobelia? — no.
I grew its mother from seed and here she is: yes, a rose. My disaster flower is also a rose and I love it dearly. Just as the Lord loves those who are similar and those who are different in appearance, in education, in wisdom and in presentation for they, and we, too are ‘roses with a difference.’
Elizabeth Price