“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.”   1 Corinthians 3:6

Gardening can be an enjoyable hobby.  In faith, you plant a seed in the ground with the expectation that it will produce the plant that it is supposed to.  After the seed does what it is designed by God to do, produce a plant, we often spend much time in cultivating the soil around our plants and making sure they have the proper amounts of water and nutrients.  We do this because we have a goal of seeing the plant  mature and produce the flower we desire to bring beauty to our garden.  Or perhaps we are waiting for that fresh tomato off the vine, or the fresh picked sweet corn or other vegetable that just isn’t the same from the store.  We don’t mind the work because we are able to anticipate the results we enjoy so much.

The question I want to ask is, “In God’s kingdom, what are you planting?”  Are you involved in sowing the seed of the gospel?  Do you plant the seeds of the good news of Jesus in the lives of those around you?  Do you do this in faith, expecting the seed to produce that which it was designed for?  How about once the seed germinates and sprouts into growth?  Do you care for the soul that has been reborn through the seed which was planted?  You see, a person’s immersion into Jesus Christ is a sprouting of the seed that has been planted.  This new growth must be taken care of.  I always tell people that I work with that when they are baptized, it is only the beginning of their life in Christ.  The best, and hardest, is yet to come.  They need to grow!

I would encourage you to spend time planting the gospel in the lives of others.  Also, spend time nurturing the faith of those who are young in Christ that they would mature and produce fruit.

As we do our part, may we always remember it is God who brings the increase.