ENRICHING FAMILY LIFE
Gayla M. Baughman, Guest devotional
“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:7-8).
When I was in the third grade, my teacher passed out little white Styrofoam cups. She asked us all to write our names on the cups. I scribbled my name in my best penmanship. Then she came around and put a handful of dirt in each cup and handed each of us a bean. Our assignment was to plant the bean in the dirt, water it and set it on the windowsill. I was so excited when she showed us mature bean plants in books that were cultivated from a single bean. Every day I would rush in, run to the windowsill and check on the progress of my plant. I can’t really remember how many times I anxiously checked on my plant, but I do remember the disappointment when there was nothing there, just dirt. I was faithful to water my little dirt cup just as the teacher instructed, but the waiting was torturous! Day after day I watered, I watched, and I waited and nothing seemed to be happening. I was tempted to give up, to dig up the dirt to see how it was progressing or what was going on, but fortunately the teacher wouldn’t let me. Finally one day after many days of anticipation I saw it, a tiny speck of green poking up between the brown clumps of dirt. I was so excited! You see, there was something going on under the surface even though I could not see it.
We cultivate growth in our children. We pray for them, read them the Bible, sing songs laced with truth and fun, and live an example of a Christian life before them. We teach them to be respectful to their elders, to mind their manners at the table and in public, and how to worship God. Sometimes it seems we water, we watch, we wait and nothing happens. We may not see it now, but something is going on under the surface. We have to trust the growth principle. We plant, we water, and God gives the increase.
“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:7-8).
We cannot force growth, that is up to God, but we can have a big part in helping it happen. We can’t give up even if there is only dirt showing! Somewhere deep in the hearts of our children, there is a process taking place. There is a dying of the old flesh and a resurrection of new life just ready to be seen. When it finally surfaces, we rejoice in the fruit of our labor.
So, Mom and Dad, if your sons are not living for God like they should, don’t despair. Keep waiting, keep watering, and keep watching. Are your daughters rebelling against everything you have taught them? Don’t give up! Keep waiting, keep watering, and keep watching. One of these days, that dirt will break forth with life and you will rejoice that you had a big part in making it happen!
Scripture:
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6).
Gayla M. Baughman, Guest devotional
“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:7-8).
When I was in the third grade, my teacher passed out little white Styrofoam cups. She asked us all to write our names on the cups. I scribbled my name in my best penmanship. Then she came around and put a handful of dirt in each cup and handed each of us a bean. Our assignment was to plant the bean in the dirt, water it and set it on the windowsill. I was so excited when she showed us mature bean plants in books that were cultivated from a single bean. Every day I would rush in, run to the windowsill and check on the progress of my plant. I can’t really remember how many times I anxiously checked on my plant, but I do remember the disappointment when there was nothing there, just dirt. I was faithful to water my little dirt cup just as the teacher instructed, but the waiting was torturous! Day after day I watered, I watched, and I waited and nothing seemed to be happening. I was tempted to give up, to dig up the dirt to see how it was progressing or what was going on, but fortunately the teacher wouldn’t let me. Finally one day after many days of anticipation I saw it, a tiny speck of green poking up between the brown clumps of dirt. I was so excited! You see, there was something going on under the surface even though I could not see it.
We cultivate growth in our children. We pray for them, read them the Bible, sing songs laced with truth and fun, and live an example of a Christian life before them. We teach them to be respectful to their elders, to mind their manners at the table and in public, and how to worship God. Sometimes it seems we water, we watch, we wait and nothing happens. We may not see it now, but something is going on under the surface. We have to trust the growth principle. We plant, we water, and God gives the increase.
“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor” (1 Corinthians 3:7-8).
We cannot force growth, that is up to God, but we can have a big part in helping it happen. We can’t give up even if there is only dirt showing! Somewhere deep in the hearts of our children, there is a process taking place. There is a dying of the old flesh and a resurrection of new life just ready to be seen. When it finally surfaces, we rejoice in the fruit of our labor.
So, Mom and Dad, if your sons are not living for God like they should, don’t despair. Keep waiting, keep watering, and keep watching. Are your daughters rebelling against everything you have taught them? Don’t give up! Keep waiting, keep watering, and keep watching. One of these days, that dirt will break forth with life and you will rejoice that you had a big part in making it happen!
Scripture:
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6).
RSS Feed