0521 day 24 - seeds

A few weeks ago, I gave some avocadoes to my LifeGroup. A discussion ensued about growing a tree from the pit inside. We talked about the project from our childhoods where you stick a few toothpicks in the pit, then place it over the mouth of a jar with water, so that the bottom of the pit was just touching the water.

In a few weeks, it would grow roots and could then be planted in the ground. And it would grow into an avocado tree. But it may not produce the kind of avocadoes you’d expect it to.

You see, most fruit trees today are grafted. Usually, the varieties that produce good fruit have weak root and trunk systems. As a result, the braches of good fruit-producing varieties are often grafted onto varieties that have strong roots and trunks, but usually insignificant fruits. The seeds often carry the characteristics of the rooting variety so the seed or pit is often not successful in producing the kind of fruit you see in the markets.

In “The Parable of the Sower”, in Matthew 13, Jesus tells a story of seed being sown in different areas. The “seed” is the Word of God, which is cast out so that everyone may hear it. But how it is received and acted on is the basis of the parable.

Some seed falls on rocks, so it is heard and received with joy, but without roots it is unable to last. The seed that falls among the thorns and weeds can grow, but it becomes unfruitful as it is choked out. But the seed that falls on good soil is received in joy, and grows to become fruitful and multiplies what is sown.