Seed and Soil

A thought has lingered on my mind these past two days. You see, I have this small garden at home on which I have experimented some gardening. I have planted quite a number of crops and trees in this garden, namely maize, plantain, passion fruit, cassava, beans, peas, amaranthus spp, tamarillos, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, moringa, avocado, pawpaw, sugarcane, jack fruit, et ce tera. I also have some mangifera indica (google that!) in the compound. Some of the plants have done well, while others have done averagely. I am often astounded to see how the same soil will support the sugarcane to produce something so sweet, while at the same time, support the  plain tasting amaranthus or the tangy tamarillo.

The above begs the question – is it the soil or the seed that is planted, which determines the type of fruit that will finally come out?  I guess no one – myself included- plants tomatoes and expects to harvest bananas. To that extent therefore, it can be argued that the seed that is planted in the soil determines the final product. 

Nonetheless, if the soil is not fertile or able to retain the requisite amount of moisture, the plant will most likely never reach its full potential. The soil therefore is the environment that is necessary for the plant to grow and excel. This reminds me of the parable of the Sower, where we are told that the seed that is planted in good soil bears fruit and produces; some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty (Mathew 13: 1-23). In all cases therefore, the seed ( read you and I), has a lot of potential to do exceedingly, abundantly, over what they can ever hope of imagine (Ephesians 2: 20 -21). However, if the seed is planted in poor soils, (read – wrong environment or growth spaces), it will never reach its full potential.

In the same vein therefore, it is no longer enough for today’s Christian to discover his or her full potential (the unique contribution he or she is supposed to make in this world). The Christian needs to go and ahead and produce fruit. To do so, he or she needs to be planted in (or surrounded by) good soil. This soil includes growth environments especially Acts 2 Churches, missional communities, discipleship and mentorship spaces, growth opportunities, intentional leaders, etc. 

It is such environments that enable the Christian to reproduce and excel. They equip the Christian with the necessary ingredients to grow and reproduce by providing solutions to the challenges in the world. These are found in the areas of either business and economics, politics and governance, media and the arts, health and the environment, families, education, or churches and mission (religion).  

I am currently attending such a growth environment at the Fearless Summit hosted by Mavuno Church in Kenya.  The speeches and workshops this year are geared at encouraging us to be brave and seek to not only find, but also DO that which the Lord has called us to do.

Dear reader, you are encouraged to look out for such growth and discipleship environments.  The Transform Leaders Conference that will be hosted by Worship Harvest Church in September this year (2019) and the Fearless Summit in June 2020 are some good learning environments.