What are you growing?

Americans love the image of the “self-made man.” The problem with that is, there is no such thing.

No human being is an autonomous, sovereign being. We cannot be our own source of life, we must have roots that feed into a source greater than ourselves. And from wherever those roots are, we draw our nourishment and capacity, and the result will be something will grow from the sustenance we draw from. The Apostle Paul extends an exhortation to us about this …

“Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.” – Colossians 2:7.

We don’t listen to such instruction well. People of our culture want results, as instantaneously as possible. So we take our lives into our own hands and try to build more quickly something on our own. The outcome won’t be anything like what could be if we were patient about having the roots of our lives in a healthy soil and allow the sustenance from those roots to grow something wonderful. Ajai Prakash illustrates this important concept with this story …

There was once a farmer who went to town to purchase seeds for his farm. As he was returning home, one of the squash seeds he had purchased fell from his pocket onto the ground. It happened that within a few feet was another seed of a different type. The place where the two seeds lay was rather fertile, and miraculously they took root.

After about a week the squash seed showed signs of growth. The second seed showed none. After two weeks the squash began to sprout leaves. The second seed showed none. After seven weeks the squash began to show fruit. The second seed still showed no progress.

Four more weeks came and gone. The squash plant reached the end of its life bearing much fruit in that time, but the other seed finally began to slowly grow. Many years later the squash was all but forgotten, but the other tiny seed, an acorn, had grown into a mighty oak tree.

Many people want their faith to be like the squash. They want to experience it all right now … rather than be rooted for life.

The greatest, fullest life you can experience is to have your roots firmly established in Jesus Christ, drawing your sustenance for life from Him and making Jesus the very foundation upon which your life is built. Jesus Himself said approaching life in that way is a wise thing to do …

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash,” Matthew 7:24-27.

Who or what are you rooted in? What are you growing?

Scotty