Scripture

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:18-23)

Devotional

One summer, when I was a girl, my mother and my brother planted cushaw seeds in our front yard.  It turned out to be a prolific year for cushaws.  The vines grew quickly, spreading in all directions, and by Fall our yard was a maze of stalk and leaves and crooked-necked fruit.  For weeks we were in search of creative ways to use cushaws.  We researched how to cook them, and how to dry them. We ate them in stew and used them to make bird houses.  But mostly, we baked pies.  Cushaw pie is much like pumpkin pie, except, of course, made with cushaws.  That year, my family ate cushaw pie all Fall.  And we froze a multitude of cushaw pies to enjoy all winter.  That year, as we all helped cook up the cushaws, my brother, who was perhaps 12 or 13 at the time, also cooked up the phrase, “My, my cushaw pie.” Those words are enough to generate both a smile and a shake of the head from anyone in my family to this day.   

That year, cushaw seeds produced the most bountiful harvest I have ever witnessed.  With little to no tending or care after putting them in the ground, they flourished.  They fulfilled their full potential.   

I am thinking a lot, lately, about seeds.   Bishop Michael Curry in his book, Love is the Way writes, “…my job is only to sow the seeds.  That’s everyone’s job.  The error of youth is thinking that you’ve succeeded—or it’s worth contributing—only when you can see, touch, or taste the fruit.” 

Receive the seeds that are given.  Plant them.  Tend them as you can.  Let go of the elements you cannot control. 

My job, I am reminded, is to plant seeds, not to change the world.  It is to plant seeds, not to change my children.  It is to plant seeds, not to change my friends.  Or my enemies.  Or my neighbors.  Or strangers.  Or anyone. 

Except, perhaps, myself.  And maybe, even to change myself, I can only receive the seeds in humility, plant them in love,  and hope they take root.  

Prayer

Master Gardener, you sow your love in our hearts as a seed.  As we receive anew the Christ child, let us do so in love, with love, and for love, that we too may sow seeds of love in your holy name.  Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Greta Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.