October 1, 2012 (Monday)
On several occasions I have been introduced to seeds. Seeds are amazing. They are planted in soil, where they germinate, produce roots and sprouts, eventually blossoms and blooms, pollens, etc., and finally, fruit or vegetable, etc. In the process, one way or another, new seeds are produced, and eventually some of them will be used to restart the process.
Now here’s a fact about a seed. In order for it to produce fruit, it must die. And die it does. It accepts its death as inevitable and necessary for its main mission to be accomplished, and that is to bear fruit. If you plant a seed, water it, give it nutrients and watch the growth it produces, at some point during the process, you might try looking for the seed. If it has produced a recognizable plant of some sort, you won’t be able to find the seed. Why? It died. It died so that it might produce life.
Jesus used this example as a call to true discipleship, a call to die to ourselves in order to live in Christ. He said if we truly want to save our lives, we must lose them for his sake and the gospel’s. Paul knew what the Lord meant, because he wrote of himself, “I am crucified with Christ!” Whatever he may have meant by that, he also meant that his “ego,” “self,” “me,” “my,” “myself,” etc. etc. had to fade so that the light of Christ could shine through him.
Here’s what Jesus said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24 NASB). Your choice: remain alone or bear much fruit. Which choice can give you true joy?