Scatter seed on the land. (Mark 4:26)
Have you ever planted seeds from a packet and
sat back to see what would happen? With very little attention—just a
little water and some sunshine—you soon see little sprouts popping up
through the soil. It’s like watching a miracle!
This is similar to what the sower in today’s parable does. His method
may not be the best in terms of growing a food crop, but it does
illustrate an approach to evangelization that probably feels more
natural to us.
Sometimes, when we feel the Spirit nudging us to reach out to
someone, we can overthink it: “What will I say? What will I do? What if
he asks a question I can’t answer?” But that wouldn’t be the situation
if we were to sow the seeds of the gospel as liberally as this farmer.
Perhaps there are ways to reach out and bless people without it feeling
forced or uncomfortable.
Start by thinking about your personality. Are you an encourager? Or
maybe you find little ways to help a co-worker who always seems
overworked. Or you might love spending time with people, or you like to
bring people little gifts that make them happy: a cup of coffee on a
cold morning or a plate of cookies for an afternoon snack at the office.
Guess what? These are all “seeds” you can sow. They are much more
than kind gestures; they are signs that you are actively going out of
your way to bless the people around you.
Now, imagine that a prayer is behind every seed, a prayer that your
gesture will help draw that person a little closer to Christ. What power
could be released!
As you go about your day, don’t worry about how to talk to someone
about your faith. Just live your life with a focus on the people around
you. That’s the secret to evangelization. Your witness may come through
words, but it may come through consistently loving and caring for
someone who needs it. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see fruit right
away. Today’s parable reassures us that the seeds are growing and
sprouting, almost of their own accord. Your job is just to scatter as
many of them as you can.
“Lord, teach me to be a scatterer of seeds that will draw people to you!”
from wau.org
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