Find Your Life
The young girl gazed at the small, clear box in fascination. She had heard the stories all her life. Her mom had gotten the box from her mother and she got it from hers. She was the fourth generation to receive the heirloom, but the seed inside was still in perfect condition. It was golden yellow and resembled a small piece of pea-gravel – unremarkable really but valued for its story. Her great-grandmother survived a terrible plague thanks to the medicinal plant the seed came from. Somehow, the tiny gift brought a sense of belonging to the girl.
As a young adult, she was careful to keep it safe and undisturbed so she could pass it on someday. Those who saw it on her shelf asked her why she didn’t plant it and her response was always, “I would never want to risk it dying and loose it!”
Eventually, however, she did consider planting the seed to see what the plant would look like. Her son was nearly ten now and it would be thrilling to give him the actual life-giving plant rather than just a seed with a story. She read up on it and put the little seed in a pot of soil, nervous it would just die and rot. To her surprise, it sprang up rather quickly, but seemed so spindly and weak she thought it would wither any day.
In time, the plant grew strong and tall, her son would love it! Her only regret was that he would be the last generation to get it along with the great stories. Just before he left for college, pods formed where the flowers had been, which soon matured and split revealing several golden seeds in each! They had a good laugh as they realized that all this time they could have been planting and harvesting many, many seeds for everyone!
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Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12:24)
For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 16:25) ______________
God has plans for us and he wired us with the temperament needed for those plans. Unfortunately, we sometimes learn to hold back for fear of getting hurt or looking silly. He wants us to lose our lives in Him and His purpose so that we can become the person we were born to be – to find our life. Finding the life God means for us will be the opposite of selfish. In his economy, we are most fulfilled when we are living in service to others.
“Success is adding value to yourself, but significance is adding value to others.” John Maxwell
As we make plans, set goals, and look to the new year, let us not be afraid to risk all to become who we were created to be!
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Dear Heavenly Father, I know I so often hide from growth for fear of imagined consequences. It is easy to stay in what I know, what I’m comfortable with – missing the countless blessings you want to extend through my life. Give me courage, I pray, to take the steps you lay before me and may my desire be one of significance, not success.