For all my friends out there who have committed to making a difference in their world. Recently, I’ve been thinking about (Psalm 126) and the concept of sowing seed in leadership throughout the Bible. These thoughts have led to a series of very short posts I hope will encourage and maybe challenge you. Sow on.
Put the hammer down.
This will be about sowing and reaping.
Not about triumphs and takeovers.
Sudden breakthroughs are wonderful, but rare.
Enjoy the heck out of them when they come, but don’t get angry when the don’t.
Most of the time a seed planted takes root and small, sometimes invisible growth happens.
I know, I hate it too.
It’s why I’d rather build something than grow something.
Builders control growth, gardeners don’t control much except care of the soil and the seed.
I prefer to control, God prefers to grow.
I prefer a hammer to a garden rake any day.
Hammers are almost worthless in the garden except for building structures plants can grow on and fences to protect them from predators, at which point they are very necessary, but I digress.
Weeds have to be pulled not beaten to death.
At the end of the day churches and ministries aren’t built; they grow.
Think about it.
I have never led someone to Christ (breakthrough) who someone before me had not already significantly impacted (planted seed, watered, pulled a bunch of weeds.)
As a matter of fact, when they testify later, my friends often refer more to the former than the latter.
They say things about their conversion moment like, “I don’t remember what the preacher preached.”
Does that mean the sermon or teaching was without significance?
No.
It means what the sermon harvested was a seed someone long before had faithfully planted.
I’ve led multiple churches through more outreaches and evangelistic endeavors than I care to recount.
I dressed like Barney the Dinosaur once (In August) and chased children across a parking lot to tell them about Jesus and get their address so we could follow up.
I’d have paid you to hit me with a hammer that day.
I believe God honors our best efforts and we absolutely should give them, so keep working!
But manage your expectations and remember it’s about growing something instead of building something.
Seldom do things work out the way I thought they would, but they do work out.
Therefore, don’t get angry or frustrated with the soil or doubt the seed.
Let me rephrase that; WHEN you get angry or frustrated with the soil and doubt the seed…
Stop it!
This will be about sowing and reaping.
Not about triumphs and takeovers.
Put the hammer down.
(1 Corinthians 3:6-9)
