I recently received an email from a former student. Part of it went like this: "In December of last year I became a believer after having a couple of my sorority sisters invest in me and get me involved with campus outreach and pulling me to them instead of letting me get caught up in the stereotypical sorority college life. Really no one at home knows the life I was living or knows the stuff I was falling into, but it was crammed with rebellion and sin and disgusting stuff, and I knew about God and who He was, what Christ did, and the whole gospel through and through, but I thought there was no way I was worth any of it. I remember you telling our class your testimony once, and it made a lasting impression in my heart and mind about His love. I tried to push it out, because it was just another thing reminding me of the sin I was living in, and I was fairly successful in doing so. Then this summer, at beach project which is a campus outreach program, we were working on developing our own testimonies and sharing them with other people, which was something I was very reluctant to do and avoided as long as I could . . . I remembered again the story you told us that day. I was overwhelmed all over again by God's love and I had a much bigger desire to share the story of how He changed my heart. Realizing that you opened yourself and your heart and your life to us even though probably very few of us actually got the message was just amazing to me."

That was the story of a seed. And please realize that I brag on God alone, and not on myself. I'm just so grateful that He used me. And there were at least several who worked in the field in this story--thank God for those faithful sorority sisters! "What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building" (I Corinthians 3:5-9).

From time to time the Lord moves on my heart to do things. Once in a while it's to pray for someone; sometimes it's a word of knowledge or encouragement or prophesy; sometimes it's something a little strange. For example, many years ago the Lord instructed me to make business-sized cards for each member of the senior class. On one side I was supposed to write a quotation from Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring: "All that is gold does not glitter; not all those who wander are lost" to remind them to always look beyond the surface. On the back I was supposed to prayerfully seek out and write a Bible verse, a different one for each individual student. On the day of graduation practice every year since, I have presented these cards to the seniors, just asking that they put the cards in their wallets or billfolds, and telling them that I will pray that on the day they need a word from the Lord, that they will find their card. A couple years ago I considered giving that up. Making the cards takes a lot of time during my busiest time of year, and the materials were getting expensive. Besides, I never heard that they were really doing any good. Then the testimonies began to come in--three ex-students within a short period of time told me how that card had spoken to them in moments when they needed to hear from God, or how the verse on the card was the very thing they needed to speak to a suffering friend. Of course, I have continued--just sowing seeds God has moved in me to plant.  

Although it can be, our seed is not always money. God has also given us the equipment to work on the farm: "To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophesy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one just as He determines" (I Corinthians 12:8-11); "In the church God has first appointed apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues" (28); "It was [Christ] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up" (Ephesians 4:11-12). Our seed can be anything we plant for the body of Christ, from preaching in the pulpit to watching the nursery to cleaning the church restrooms, or just being "the good Samaritan (notice how we never know his name. Often we sow our fields anonymously.).

"Remembering this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: 'He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.' Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (II Corinthians 9:6-15).

Among the many benefits of working God's farm is the fruit we are given to enjoy: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22a). One cool thing about fruit is that there are seeds inside. As we enjoy the fruit of the Spirit, seeds get dropped wherever we go. We may not always know where we toss them, and we may not always see what grows, but God will send workers to tend the plants. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9).

Lord Jesus, You said, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few . . . therefore, send out workers into Your harvest field." Send me up to Your farm, Lord. I love to work for You! Amen