The Power of A Seed

One day in the Cement Plant cantina I planted a seed in a co-worker’s mind. Grunt was his nickname and he is a very good friend. He resembled Chuck Norris and was a daredevil that would try most anything that was dangerous and exciting. In fact during the days when streaking was popular, Grunt ran through the streets of Montevallo wearing sneakers and a smile.

My friend Keilan Gore and I tried an experiment on Grunt. Looking at him in a sincere and concerning look I told Grunt that he was a Homosapien. His look was one of unbelief and said, “I can’t believe what you called me.”

I told him that he was covered with epidermis and that he had phalanges. By this time, he wanted to know why.

Everyone in the cantina was interested in our conversation. Keilan and I could barely keep from laughing. I said, “Grunt, a Homosapien is another word for man.” Keilan told him that epidermis was the skin that covers your body. I told Grunt that phalanges were his fingers.

Grunt laughed and said, “I thought I must have caught some terrible disease.” The look on his face was priceless. Keilan and I planted a seed creating doubt and confusion on our good-natured friend.

A seed has the potential to produce depending on the soil. Grunt was fertile soil since he did not understand the terms that Keilan and I used in our charade. The law of the harvest is you reap what you sow, you reap more than you sowed, and you reap in due time.

One Spring dad bought some cantaloupe seeds from Murry Glass feed and seed in Jemison, Alabama. Dad prepared the ground in anticipation of a half-acre of delicious cantaloupe. The vines were beautiful and full of blooms. Dad’s bag of cantaloupe seeds produced all the pickles that momma could can. All dad could deduce was that cucumber and cantaloupe seeds look alike and someone placed cucumber seeds in the cantaloupe bind. Dad reaped what he planted.

Life is a process of sowing and reaping. In today’s technologically savvy climate seeds of discord produce an abundance of conflict, division, and mistrust. Seeds planted decades ago are growing chaos and confusion to the extent that evil is the new good and good the new evil. Proverbs 6:16–19 lists “one who sows discord among brothers” as one of the seven things God hates.

The seed of dishonesty can be planted in a person’s life and, over time, grow into more serious issues such as loss of trust, damaged relationships, or personal downfall. In Psychology 101 at the University of Montevallo were studied about “self-fulfilling prophecy.” That what social media does. The principle is that if you tell someone something negative long enough that will believe the lie.

Some of us tried with an experiment. We picked an unsuspecting soul, and we individually asked if the poor soul felt okay. It wasn’t long before she went to a mirror to check if she were okay. There wasn’t anything wrong, but the power of suggestion won out.

I think it ironic that a beautiful lady or handsome man that are news anchors will tell bad and disturbing news for thirty minutes and we wonder why the world is going to hades in a hand basket.

Someone once asked me why they have such violent movies. My answer surprised the person. I said that the movie depicted a real crime. The script was from an official police report. When planting seeds of violence you reap iniquity. Proverbs 22:8 says, “He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.”

It is important to plant seeds that produce good fruit. Planting seeds of hope leads to harvest of encouragement, peace, and joy.

Years ago, my children do not want to attend a Christmas gathering saying, “They are just a bunch of sticks in the mud gripping and complaining.” I told them that we could go and make a difference by having a good time and not allowing the negative to control.

One of my favorite stories is of Johnny Chapman September 26, 1774 – March 18, 1845. Known as Johnny Appleseed he planted apple seeds wherever he traveled. He created apple nurseries and promoted the importance of the apple.

 

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you. Hosea 10:12 KJV