Cue the Lowe’s commercial with the family waking up early on
a Saturday morning with an up and at em’ attitude. Ready to tackle the day with
do it yourself projects that turn out flawless. You know the commercial I’m
talking about. In my mind “that” day
always seemed so attainable. So when the hubby announced that Saturday was going
to be family work day my expectations where set high.
I’ve been rolling around this idea of planting for a while now. Today just seemed like the perfect day to
expound on this.
Today we planted corn and beans in the garden, geraniums in
pots and petunias in the window boxes.
But what about my words?
Have you ever thought
about the seeds we plants in others?
Maybe you are nothing like me. Maybe you never, ever, not even
on your worst day have a slip of the tongue. Perhaps all of your conversations
are full of beautiful blessings.
And maybe you are
like me. A total loser in this department.
This has been a constant area that God has wanted me to hand
over to Him.
So picture a holy washing out of thy mouth if ye would.
This is what I’ve been thinking…
Depending on what is locked up in the seeds that we plant
depends on what will grow, flourish and produce fruit.
Good seeds: pretty flower. Bad seeds: ugly weed.
Good seeds: pretty flower. Bad seeds: ugly weed.
Still with me?
So we have a choice: Do we choose to plant good seeds or bad
seeds?
Good seeds:
·
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that
which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the
hearers. Eph. 4:29
·
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be
acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14
·
Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and
health to the body. Proverbs 16:24
Bad seeds:
·
He that keeps his mouth keeps his life: but he that opens wide
his lips shall have destruction. Proverbs 13:3
·
O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good
things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Matthew 12:24
·
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and
sisters, this should not be. James 3:10
These
are all excellent reminders of the power of our words. But God reveled
something to me about bad seeds that are planted in others. Ohh…for the sake of
bad seeds lets just say, hmm…I don’t know…just throwing this out
there….GOSSIP. I know your are not a
loser like me so I’m certain this does not apply to you. But perhaps you do know someone who does have a tendency to fall into this trap every now
and then. But we are of course not talking about you…mmhhhmm.
Therefore, let us no longer criticize one another. Instead
decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in your brother's way. Romans
14:13 HCSB
Here’s
the deal. When I sow a bad seed (gossip) in someone I am giving them the
opportunity to water and fertilize that seed. I have just planted something in
them that I had no business doing in the first place. Now not only have I
sinned but I have caused someone
else to stumble. Isn’t that just swell?
According
to Barnes notes:
A
"stumbling-block" literally means anything laid in a man's path, over
which he may fall. In the Scriptures, however, the word is used commonly in a
figurative sense to denote anything which shall cause him to "sin,"
as sin is often represented by "falling”.
Well..that
just about sums it up. I really don’t want to be the one to point others away
from Christ.
We
were called for much more than that sister!
Oh..and
for our family work day: Here are 4 things to take away:
1. This garden will be
like having a 3rd and 4th child
2. Pool toys never last long outside of a pool.
4. By golly if the seed
packet says plant 6 inches apart then we will plant them precisely 6 inches
apart. No time for any tom foolery around here.
Apparently the seeds will
grow better if they know you used the tape measure.
Peace ya'll
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