Flower Seeds

Bible Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11; Matthew 13:3-9, 23

“Hi, Claire. Hi, Mrs. Miller. What are you doing?” asked Molly, the Millers’ next-door neighbor. Claire and her mom were kneeling near some flowers in their backyard.

“We’re picking some of the flowers we planted in the spring,” Claire answered.

“Oh, cool. Well, I came over to see if you want to go to the beach with us tomorrow, Claire. We’re leaving in the morning and staying there all day, and when it gets dark, we’re going to roast marshmallows in a fire pit!” Molly said excitedly.

Claire looked at her mom before responding. “That sounds like a lot of fun, Molly, but I can’t,” she replied. “I have church tomorrow morning, and I don’t want to miss it. You could come with me! I’d love it if you’d come.”

Molly shook her head. “I’d rather spend the day playing in the ocean and eating marshmallows than singing songs and listening to a boring preacher,” she said.

Claire’s mother smiled. “Molly, I think you’d be surprised by what a good time you’d have at church with Claire,” she said. “I hope you’ll come and find out for yourself one of these days.”

“Well, maybe,” Molly replied, not really convinced. “Too bad you can’t come with us, Claire. I’ll miss you while I’m eating all those yummy marshmallows!”

After Molly returned home, Claire sighed. “I just don’t get it, Mom. I keep inviting Molly to church and telling her about Jesus, but she just doesn’t seem interested. Sometimes I think I must be doing something wrong. Should I just give up?”

“Telling someone about Jesus is sort of like what we did in the spring, Claire,” Mom said. “We planted flower seeds, and you’ve been planting gospel seeds. It takes a while for seeds to grow, and it’s easy to get discouraged sometimes. When you look at tiny little seeds, you can hardly believe they’ll ever be worth much. But now, just look at these.” Mom held up some of the flowers they had picked. “With watering, nurturing—and most of all, time—those seeds we planted grew into beautiful flowers. Trust God to make gospel seeds grow too. Keep on being Molly’s friend and telling her about Jesus.”

Claire nodded. “Okay, Mom,” she said. “I will.” Shawna Arthurs

How About You?

Do you have friends who don’t know Jesus? Have you told them about Him? Have you invited them to church? Don’t give up if they don’t seem interested in going to church with you or hearing about Jesus. God says His Word is like a seed. Every time you talk to your friends about Jesus, you’re planting seeds in their minds. Keep planting, and trust God to make those seeds grow.

Today’s Key Verse:
Isaiah 55:11 My word . . . shall accomplish what I please (NKJV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Keep planting the seed of God’s Word