Are you scattering seed?

Good Morning! I can't believe it's already August 10th! Be sure to start your day by READING or LISTENING to todays readings. 

Every morning before I sit down to do my reflection time, I send my best friend a quick text that has a bit of scripture and my thoughts or motivation about it. Today I happened to send her Galatians 6:9 

"Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up."

This fits so nicely with our first reading from Corinthians today. We see this idea of sowing and reaping a few different times in scripture. In this reading we first see that the more we sow, the more we put out, the more we will gain. The more we share the Word of God, the more ears that hear it, the more people will come to know God. This concept is true in all areas of our life. 

God is the one who does the real work, we just need to be obedient to him. We need to listen to His call and he will multiply our efforts! He will be the sun and the rain that makes those seeds grow! He will take that seed we spread and increase it for the harvest!

In our Gospel we start off hearing about a grain that must die. This seems like a stark contrast to me, at first. Sometimes I wish I knew more about farming or gardening when I am reading scripture! 

Jesus says in John 12:24-25: 

"Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life."

I don't know much about wheat, but I keep picturing a dandelion. First it starts off all pretty and yellow, then in changes and is transformed into that white puffy thing that has it's seeds blow away and scatter everywhere. It is after this transformation and after the dandelion "dies" that it is able to produce more. 

The analogy that Jesus is using is referring to himself. He must die in order to preserve our life for us. He must die so that we all may ultimately live! 

This is also true with each of us as you look at verse 25. We must die to ourselves. We must give up our earthly life in order to ultimately have life. We must transform like that dandelion, give up our former self, produce the fruit of the Spirit in order to inherit the Kingdom and have eternal life.

Are you allowing yourself to be transformed every day? Are you being obedient to God and planting seeds for the harvest?