Scattering Seed.

Growing up on a farm, I am very familiar with the process of planting seed, cultivating the soil and harvesting the crop. 

Every spring my father would plant the seed. 

Every summer my father would cultivate the soil. 

Every fall my father would harvest the crop. 

My father worked very hard on the farm. 

Even in the midst of the long days of hard work, as a farmer, there was only so much my dad could do to bring in the harvest. 

A farmer is limited to the planting, cultivating and harvesting. 

The actual growth of the seed is outside of the farmer’s control. 

The Bible compares evangelism to the role of a farmer. We find this comparison made in 2 separate passages of the New Testament. 

The first passage is in 1 Corinthians 3:5-6 where we are told…What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 

Then, in Matthew 9:35-38, we see the harvesting… Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." 

As we share the message of Jesus, we must be reminded that, just like we can’t make a seed to sprout and grow, we cannot force someone to follow Jesus. 

There are times when, within evangelism, we think we are responsible for someone’s decision to follow Christ. The truth is, we can’t force someone to receive the message of Jesus. 

No strangleholds. 

No noogies. 

No full nelsons. 

Our only responsibility is to scatter seed, cultivate the soil and to bring in the harvest. 

The question then, is what does this look like in practical terms for us in our daily living? 

What does it look like for us to scatter seed? 

What does it look like to cultivate the soil? 

What does it look like to bring in the harvest? ~MB