Fruit: Seeds (blog)

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds." (John 12:24) Adelheid and I chose our steps carefully along a narrow path between the plants in her vegetable garden, so that she could harvest a few of her heirloom tomatoes for me. She instructed me to consume all but one which she held aside in her right hand. This one would provide seeds for a crop of my own the following year, so that I could share the prize tomatoes full of seeds with other people (who presumably could then share them with other people...). At the time, I didn't appreciate the value of those seeds and ended up eating that one tomato along with the rest, savoring its juicy sweetness. I regret that decision now. Fortunately, Adelheid was patient with me. Before she passed on, my friend and sister in Christ also shared peony plants with me, and I've enjoyed giving their big, gorgeous blooms to other people. Because of Adelheid's patience I have something to remind me of her and also something to place in another person's hands. Sharing flowers is a beautiful thing, but lately I'm thinking more and more about seeds. In this blog series we're looking at what happened in the Samaritan town of Sychar, where Jesus and his disciples stopped to rest and buy food (John 4:1-42). We've listened in closely to Jesus' conversation with a woman drawing water from a well there.  And we've tried to see what he urged his disciples to 'open their eyes and see' (v. 4:35) in that place: people ready to believe in Jesus as their Savior. The disciples struggled to recognize what their teacher called a spiritual "harvest". Though at times along their journey Jesus rebuked his followers, he was also patient with them, calling them (as he did here) to come closer in and see what he was seeing. Jesus was also patient with the Samaritan woman, who kept reminding him of their differences (v. 4:9, 20). Today I'm thinking of Jesus' patience as fruit that he shared, fruit bursting with seeds. The Apostle Paul called patience a fruit (of the Spirit), along with "...love, joy, peace...kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23).  When I look closely at Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman, I see Jesus sharing these fruits of the Spirit with her. I see him sharing peace with her as he welcomed her into his life, and also love and kindness as he engaged her in conversation and listened to her. I see him sharing the fruit of goodness with her as he spoke the truth that would set her free, and the fruit of faithfulness as he knew her life story and was ready to meet her deepest needs. Imagine Jesus' pleasure in sharing the fruit of joy with this woman, as he revealed to her that he was the Savior she had been waiting for!"...I who speak to you am he." (v. 4:26)And I see Jesus sharing the fruits of gentleness and self-control, as he made all of these other fruits available to her when he himself was tired and hungry. Jesus' sharing had immediate impact as the woman ran to tell her neighbors about him. They came out to see and hear Jesus, and many of them also believed in him as their Savior. Can I be honest with you? It's easier for me to consume the seed-bearing fruits of the Spirit that Jesus shares with me than to pass them along to other people (especially when I'm tired and hungry, crazy busy, feeling shy and insecure...). Jesus' love and kindness, his goodness and faithfulness to me, and the incredible joy and peace I experience in restored relationship with him, are easier for me to savor than to share, at least when I'm not thinking about seeds and their potential. God has demonstrated unimaginable patience in sending his only Son Jesus Christ into the world to save self-centered me! And He continues to be patient with me. When I look back at my life and consider all that Jesus has done for me, remembering those times he's forgiven me and treated me gently...his grace overwhelms me. Spending time with Jesus in God's Word and in prayer changes the way I see things. Like the woman at the well, I need to let Jesus engage me and reveal to me again who he is, my Savior and the world's Savior. Seeing Jesus more clearly helps me to see the people around me differently. Today I'm seeing Jesus as that one fruit in God's right hand that was set apart for seeds. He suffered and died on the Cross for our sins and rose again to life, so that we can be forgiven and saved, and be in relationship with our loving Creator forever. Jesus shared everything with you and me. As Jesus' follower, and with the help of his Spirit, I'm called to "die" to (or resist) that part of me that would simply consume all the fruits of being in relationship with him, so that I can share God's love - the good news of forgiveness and salvation in Jesus - with other people (who can then share with even more people). Jesus is patient with me along this discipleship journey, bringing me closer in to see what he sees. And I think what Jesus sees is me sharing little things (that grow into much bigger things) with other people (more on that next week).