seeds

He (Jesus) also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.”
-Mark 4:26-27 (NIV)

Recently, Molly and I had the privilege of joining our church family in Wilson for their 15-year anniversary celebration. It was a day full of stories, laughter, encouragement and anticipation of what’s to come. While sharing about the progress of Awaken, Pastor Gary reminded me of how Wilson Community Church began back in 1992 with 7 people in his living room. Today, WCC is a sending-body of believers, with around 200 people gathering week to week throughout Wilson. I’m proud to be part of the continuing story of WCC!

As I reflected on that small gathering in Pastor Gary’s living room, I thought of the word ‘seeds.’ Jesus uses this term a lot when referring to the kingdom of God. Paul uses the term when referring to new church communities as well as the life of God that is sown into the hearts of people. In most cases, the ‘seeds’ refer to something that begins small, but later becomes great. It represents something with potential, possibilities, and the ability to grow. Going back to WCC, those 7 people represented the seed that God used to grow the church into what it is today. And today, WCC is a Life-Giving Plant to ministries all over the world, including ours!

Yesterday, our Core Community gathered in our living room for our weekly meeting (a group in similar number). I gave each person a small seed (fescue, to be exact, which I recently used to sow grass in December, thanks to the mild start to winter) and asked each person to examine it. Our words were ‘possibilities,’ ‘potential,’ ‘care,’ ‘growth.’ As I sat with these people who have become my dear friends, discussing our individual strengths, I couldn’t help but dream of the possibilities in days and months to come.

When I think about a seed, I don’t know how to explain how the growth will occur other than doing what I know how to do: gathering and spreading seed, regularly adding nutrients to the soil and watering it is the extent of my ‘grass-growing’ expertise…and somehow it grows.

And that’s how God’s kingdom works. Such things begin with just a few, faithful to the Word of God, desperately seeking after the life found in Jesus, and all of a sudden, new Life begins to grow in the hearts of those around us. As God reminds us through the prophet Zachariah (4:10) “Do not despise these small beginnings.” No matter what area that may speak to in your life right now, know that small things hold great potential when given to God.