A Sunflower Surprise

 1 Corinthians 3:6 “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.”

While taking a walk the other day I saw a neat sight. Growing out of a field of grass were a few scattered sunflowers. The tall stalks were topped with friendly yellow faces that towered over the waving grasses. These pleasant flowers stood out but were obviously out of place. They had not been planted when the rest of the crop was sown.

I thought about how these cheerful surprises must have gotten there, and concluded that a bird must have flown overhead and dropped some seeds on the tilled earth. As the sun shined down and the rains irrigated the field the tiny seeds began to sprout and eventually produced the high reaching blooms that brightened my walk. A few tiny seeds dropped randomly from the sky made such a difference in the scenery.

Throughout life we are called to sow Gospel seeds everywhere we go. By speaking a word about God’s message of love to those we meet we plant a small kernel of truth that over time may produce a beautiful flower of faith. Often we can’t do much, but even a kind smile or gentle touch may be just the refreshing shower needed to cause the seeds sown by others to sprout.

When those sunflower seeds were released into the field no one knew they were there. It wasn’t until months later that the plant took off and towered above the rest of the crop allowing me to see the result of the seed falling from a bird flying overhead.

We will not always see the results of the Gospel seeds we plant right away, but as we spread the Word, little by little God will cause it to grow. So give your next restaurant server a big tip along with a Bible tract, or thank your postman and tell him you are praying for him. Allow the next cranky person in the parking lot to have the last space available with a wave and a big smile. You never know, one of the seeds you plant may turn into a bright yellow sunflower.

Love,

Mama