“I (Paul) planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.” (I Corinthians 3:6 NASB)
Monday, I wrote to you about a reader’s response, a message that said, “I hear you! I get it! But I’m not ready. Perhaps I will be in the future. Please remove me from your email list.”
Complying with his request, I did not send him Monday’s meditation. That is until I received a message from one of the pastors who read what I had written. He said, “Sadly, when requests like that are honored, one is removed that much further from God’s preparation for us knowing how to live. Stay committed to the climb.” Reminded of the mantra, and the truth stated in my pastor friend’s message, I received another spark of support, a positive push, from one of my faithful church members who encouraged me to be relentless.
Therefore, I went ahead and sent him a delayed, late in the day email with the Monday meditation which his actions had inspired. I asked him to read it with an open mind and consider the content. As I told my pastor friend, “It won’t hurt to try! If the second request to be cutoff was received, so be it.” With that try, I can be at ease, knowing that I had done my planting.
Yes, planting. That reminds me of a seasonal project given to my class, as a pupil, in primary school. We were to plant a seed and grow a flower in a plastic cup that had been provided by the teacher. As time passed, I noticed that other students’ flowers were growing, but my seed had yet to make a showing above the soil. A classmate looked at my cup and saw what looked like a barren land. But opposed to laughing or teasing, my fellow student gave a lesson and did some telling by means of an example. She went to the sink in class, filled an empty cup and gave my non-growing project some water. She repeated that a couple of days. Guess what? Yes! My flower started to grow.
That’s what my reader needs, some watering, and perhaps someone will do just that, following my planting. So, I am praying for him and hoping that watering happens timely, and prayerfully, I will ask God to cause the growth. Have a wonderful Wednesday! But don’t just walk away, merely reading today’s meditation. Walk away looking for the opportunity to be the one who waters. I’m sure you will have an opportunity. Act appropriately. Be blessed!
“I’m sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. I’m sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in me.” (Acts 26:17-18 The Message Bible)
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King