Once there were two farmers, each owned a field next to the other. One farmer was wise and knew much about farming and caring for the land; the other was foolish and cared not for the field he owned.
The wise farmer decided he would turn his field into an apple orchard. He bought a variety of good seeds and set to work tilling the land, fertilizing the soil, planting, and watering.
The foolish farmer knew nothing of seeds and gathered what he found on the ground, scattering it carelessly. He then forgot his field and went on about his business, neither tending nor watering the land.
Over time, the wise farmer reaped an abundant harvest of apples. His orchard was beautifully kept, and the fruit of its trees was sweet and delicious. The field of the foolish farmer, however, had grown up full of weeds.
The foolish farmer didn’t understand why his field had failed to produce any good fruit, so he went to the wise farmer and asked him, “Why is my field overgrown with thorns and thistles that tear at my clothes and my flesh, while yours is overflowing with strong, healthy trees and good fruit? Did I not sow seeds just as you did?”
The wise farmer replied, “I have good fruit because I planted good seed. The seeds you planted were not good, and they have reaped a crop of destruction.”
Like the foolish farmer, we take seeds for granted. It’s hard to imagine that so small a thing could produce so great a yield. As one apple seed produces an abundance of fruit, so do the “seeds” in our own lives. Whatever we sow multiples. It increases. Becomes stronger.
Every day we are sowing seeds. Our thoughts are seeds. So are our words and actions. Time, energy, talents, money, relationships—all are seeds, and all are growing and producing a harvest in our lives, whether good or bad.
The wise farmer tends to his field with intentionality and discipline. He chooses good seed and cultivates the land. He takes care to uproot any weeds that threaten his crop.
The foolish farmer does nothing or, worse still, blatantly sows bad seed. His natural bent toward selfishness and his lack of discipline produce for him a crop of weeds that eventually overrun and destroy the land.
If we are to bear good fruit in our lives, the weeds of sin—our own or those committed against us—must be uprooted! We cannot simply throw some good seed alongside the thorns and thistles and hope that they will flourish; God is not fooled by pretense. If we want to be whole, we need to get to the root of the problem. Otherwise these same issues will continue to crop up, entangling us and dragging us down.
The first step in this process is recognizing the bad fruit in our lives and unearthing its origin. Ask Jesus to help you identify your “root issues”—the things that consistently trip you up and throw you off course.
Then, we must make the choice to seek help. There is no sin so deeply rooted that Jesus cannot overcome it! He is the Great Redeemer, and his desire is for us to be free. John 10:10 says, “…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
So let’s take care to nourish the soil of our hearts with time in God’s word and in his presence. Let’s use wisdom and discernment as to which seeds we’re choosing to plant, and seek discipline as we care for them. Then from the Spirit we will reap a plentiful harvest of good fruit—fruit that will last!
Reflection Questions
- Can you identify any bad fruit in your life? Ask Jesus to help you recognize your root issues, and remember that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).
- As you think about the “seeds” you’re planting from day to day, ask yourself what your life will look like 5 or 10 years down the road as they continue to increase and bear fruit. Is the picture desirable?
- What are the good seeds in your life, and what lasting fruit have you reaped from them?