Plant Wisely
By Barbara Borkowski of Independence, MO, USA
Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen! -Matthew 13:8-9
Our backyard suffered in the summer drought. In fact, we were worried that we might have lost all the grass because of the lack of rain. So the following spring we bought grass seed to spread in the backyard. Strangely, the seed never made it out of the bag. We were too concerned about having all the right soil conditions. We didn’t want to waste the seeds.
Seeds need cool weather for germination. Seeds need to be covered up with just the right amount of soil so they don’t blow away or the birds don’t eat them. Seeds need much rain. And, they need to be undisturbed by dogs and lawnmowers and children playing. It just never seemed to be the right time to spread those seeds. The right conditions, the right preparations, never happened.
The sower in this parable isn’t worried about the right conditions for the seeds to grow. The sower is willing to sow seed indiscriminately, even when the soil is unprepared. Strangely, the sower is unconcerned about “wasting” the seed.
Sharing Christ isn’t something we wait to do only when the conditions are right. Sharing Christ is an extravagant, generous way of living and being. May we have the courage to share our witness with anyone who has ears to listen!
Prayer Phrase
“Awake, my soul!” (Psalm 57:8 NRSV)
Spiritual Practice
The Prayer of the Heart
Early Christian disciples desired to take seriously the scripture mandate to pray “without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The prayer of the heart invites us to pray “continuously” by repeating and returning to a prayer phrase planted for intentional reflection and deepening. Choose a word or phrase (from scripture, hymnody, or personal reflection) that has meaning for you. The Jesus Prayer is one form of the prayer of the heart: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me” (Luke 18:35-43). Invite this simple phrase to repeat in your heart throughout the day, awakening your soul to God’s presence.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.
