Blog posts tagged growth
Celebrate Growth!
As the church, it is important that we point out and celebrate growth in one another’s lives. We are so individualistic, proud, and insecure that we rarely celebrate growth in another person’s life. Make a habit of pointing out growth you see in others, and celebrate God’s grace. Be a good church family.
From the recent "5 Reasons You May Not Be Seeing Spiritual Growth" on The Resurgence
The Kingdom is like seeds
He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32 NIV)
So let’s see here, the kingdom has something to do with the act of planting, even planting something small—the smallest of all seeds perhaps. The kingdom has something to do with growth; even the smallest of seeds produce a new life form—from a seed to a tree. The kingdom has something to do with this new life form being used to hold-up, support, and provide rest and shelter—to have a purpose. All because a man took this seed and planted it. My guess is the man knew it was a seed, knew it had potential, and maybe even wanted a tree, though I doubt he had in mind the benefits that were far reaching even to the birds of the air. My guess is also that this was not the only seed that was planted by this man. He planted many. Perhaps there was more than this one tree that was produced, perhaps not. We know there was this tree though. And we know that the seed it came from and the diligence of the sower shows a picture of the kingdom.
Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both. (Ecclesiastes 11:6 NLT)
We don’t know which seed will grow into a tree. We do know that if we pursue his kingdom, there will be trees and we have seeds!
The Kingdom is like a sower
Continuing our look at the Kingdom of God using the parables that Jesus gave in Matthew chapter 13, we turn our attention to the parable of the sower found in Matt 13:1-9 and his explanation of it, 13:18-23. He once again speaks of seeds. His focus is also on hearing and the condition of soil that receive the seed. When there are many things or people being contrasted in Scripture, it is often helpful to make a chart, to see the results side by side. Please see the chart that I made below:
Observations:
The soils represent the condition of man when hearing the word of God (the seed). Each man compared has the following in common: each one heard the message of the Kingdom of God. Two of the conditions had to do with the understanding of the message; both the soil “along the path” and the “good soil”. There is a great importance in understanding, not just merely hearing or reading the word of God. Likewise, the other two (‘rocky places” and “among thorns”) share something in common; both upon receiving the seed (the word) allowed something to replace or extinguish it. It also bears mentioning that the only soil included that bears fruit is the good soil.
Duration of time also seems to come into focus here. Particularly with the seed that fell on “rocky places”; he receives it at once with joy, but since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. Then when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. Looking at the seed scattered “along the path,” the evil one comes and snatches it away, appearing to have happened right away like birds would do eating up seed scattered atop the ground. The seed planted “among thorns” speaks of a process over time of the cares of this world choking it. Finally, the “good soil” can also relate longevity as the seed has time to bear fruit, producing a crop.
Our job is to make sure our soil is fertile and not fallow ground. For others, we are to plant seeds, never fully knowing the condition of the soil in which we plant. After all, God brings growth.
Sow with a view to righteousness, Reap in accordance with kindness; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD Until He comes to rain righteousness on you. (Hosea 10:12 NASB)