Planting and Watering

“For when one says, ‘I follow Paul,’ and another, ‘I follow Apollos,’ are you not mere human beings? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 3:4-11 NIV)

This past weekend, the ministry I direct celebrated being on campus for 25 years.  In attendance were many alumni from those 25 years—a few now middle-aged, many married with small children, and some in the early stages of their post-college lives. What an encouragement to see them continuing to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ!

There were testimonies about the beginnings of the ministry and about the many years that followed. A quarter-of-a-century of the Lord’s work in students’ lives. Years devoted to planting and watering, and the blessings in often seeing the Lord’s harvest through the fruits of faithful laborers.  Many of the testimonies focused on me and the impact I had on the lives of alumni, but while I appreciated the comments, I am, and always have been, merely a planter and waterer. I have worked hard to maintain that perspective, the same one the Apostle Paul held regarding his ministry.  

I say, “worked hard” because there is a strong pull to take credit where it is not due.  We, or others, want to pat ourselves on the back for the results of our work, but, as the agricultural metaphor implies, a farmer can do his best at planting and watering his crops, but he cannot make them grow or produce fruit.  All he can do is be faithful in planting and watering the seeds. The harvest is out of his hands.

Often, that harvest is slow in coming.  The seeds are planted and watered faithfully, but little or no growth is evident.  That doesn’t necessarily mean nothing is happening.  Just as a seed germinates underground, the spiritual work of the Spirit is often unseen for many months or even years, but there is still much happening beneath the surface.  Planting and watering requires a lot of patience, of which many times I am lacking.  I want to see the evidence of the effects of my labors.  

These are the challenges when we are about the work of planting and watering seeds of the Kingdom, but as I was reminded this weekend, they are worth overcoming in order to enjoy the harvest that the Lord brings—lives built solidly on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

Today, know the importance of planting and watering in God’s Kingdom. For if you are a follower of Jesus, then your role is to be planting and watering seeds in the lives of those He puts in your path.  It is a challenge, but the fruit the Lord will produce from your efforts, and the enjoyment they bring, will be more than worth it.  I know. I have tasted them often.

© Jim Musser 2017