Last night at a banquet I watched someone receive an award. In her acceptance speech, she spoke about her faith, God, and even treasures in heaven. At the end of her speech, everyone applauded, but perhaps only a few knew that they had just witnessed the simplest form of evangelizing – planting a seed.
In the parable of the growing seed (Mark 4, 26-29) Jesus explains that the kingdom of God is like a seed that, once planted, grows on its own whether the planter knows it or not, whether he is sleeping or awake. Jesus was the master of planting seeds. The Bible is full of instances where Jesus does something, sometimes something miraculous, and then plants a seed by saying “your faith has healed you,” or “I am here to do the will of him who sent me.” Really, that’s all that the lady had said to the banquet audience last night. She had done a lifetime of good works for which she was being recognized, and she basically said, “I’m just doing God’s will.” That’s a seed that will take root and grow within each person at that event. It will grow on its own, gradually and mysteriously, but it will grow nonetheless.
So the next time you think you weren’t called to evangelize, or don’t have the ability to spread God’s word, just remember that planting seeds can be as effective as a three hour sermon. When someone compliments your looks, tell them you were made in God’s image. When someone praises your good works, tell them you are doing God’s work. When you part ways, tell them “God bless you.” Then watch those seeds grow!
Arming The Saints Blog 
Since I’m thinking out loud, I’ll reply to myself. Perhaps the answer lies in two parables — the mustard seed and the sower. The parable of the mustard seed shows us that the God’s kingdom seed can be the smallest seed possible, but it will grow to become the largest of all plants, while the parable of the sower seems to indicate that all kingdom seeds have the potential to grow as large depending on how other things — Satan, a person’s grounding, the worries of the world — come to affect it. As sowers, our duty appears to be to constantly sow, and as those who are sown to, our duty is to constantly keep those outside influences from blocking the seed’s growth.
Hi Tim,
You are correct. I believe that all seeds planted (in the ground in our yards and in the hearts of people) have the potential to grow large and produce abundant and good fruit. The parable of the mustard seed is really about our faith and that a little faith will go a long way in our spiritual growth. But you are correct that the tiny mustard seed will produce a huge plant – that speaks to the ability of our faith to grow huge if we embrace just a tiny bit of faith. You are also correct that there are many world factors that work to keep our “seed” growth small, stunted or even dormant. That is why the food of the Word is so important for us to ingest. The Word protects those seeds from attacks of the enemy and provides the furtile ground for maximum growth. I love those two parables – they are so rich in theological manna! Keep enjoying the Word and it’s spiritual nutrition. 🙂
Denise
Some seeds in my garden seem to grow quicker than others. Is that true in the supernatural?