Seeds, roots and fruit.
When I was young, our family lived in a rural part of Southern California on several acres of land. We had over 20 different kinds of fruit trees growing on our property. At different times during the year, different trees would bear different fruit. There was almost always some kind of fruit growing and ripe for harvest. I would come home from school and go out into the yard and pick a fresh piece of fruit and eat it ... right off the tree.
Nearly every year, we would "plant" a couple of new trees. My dad and I would drive 40 miles to the nearest Nursery Store and pick out a twig in a sack. There was no fruit on the tree. We had to trust that the sign or tag on the twig was correct and that WAS the type of fruit that would eventually be harvested.
During the spring, I would get to pick out some seeds at the Nursery Store to take home and plant for the summer garden. I would always pick out watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, corn, pumpkin. Then I would try different seeds. One year I planted strawberries and another year it was squash and another year peppers. Then it was different kinds of watermelon or tomatoes or corn to try. I picked the seed, to grow the root to get the fruit. It was a great lesson to learn as a child. I had to water, cultivate, pull weeds, prune, keep the “varmints” out and care for the plants as they were growing in order to see the fruit and enjoy the harvest.
Is there a spiritual lesson in all of this?
Consider …
Without the seed, there is no harvest. The seed determines what type of root will grow. The seed is very small. The seed doesn’t give any indication of what the fruit will be. The seed needs to be planted in the ground. The seed needs to be watered to produce a root. The seed, once planted, is never seen again.
The root grows out of the seed. Good seed produces a strong root. Healthy seed produces faster than a weak seed. The root goes down before the stem comes up. The root provides the foundation. The root provides all of the necessities for growth. The root can be choked off by lack of water or weeds taking the nutrients away. It’s hard to “see” the work of the root for awhile. It takes faith and time to grow the garden. You have to trust that the seed was good and the root is strong.
When the stem comes up, there is so much excitement. Finally, we can see something happening. Still no fruit. Still no harvest.
There is more cultivation, more watering, more fertilization, more weeding, more care, more waiting. Still no fruit. Still no harvest.
Finally, the first fruit appears. Now it needs EVEN MORE CARE. We see the fruit but it needs to stay attached to the vine. It needs to stay connected to the root. It needs to mature. It needs to ripen until the right time.
At the appointed time, the fruit is harvested. When we bite into that piece of watermelon or tomato or orange, we finally can see and fully experience the “fruit” of our labor.
The Father made the seed and the ground and all of the nutrients needed to plant.
The Spirit plants the seed.
The Son is the root and the vine.
We are the branches.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”.
Galatians 5:22
Is the Word of God seeded in your life?
Are you rooted in Christ?
Are you growing and being cultivated?
What fruit do you bear?
