Daily Devotional for July 6, 2024
Different Kinds of Seeds
Mia and her brother Caden were getting ready to plant a small vegetable garden. “I’ll get the seeds,” said Caden. “They’re in my room.”
But Caden soon returned empty-handed. “I put the seeds on my desk, but they’re gone!” he said. “Let’s go ask Mom if she’s seen them.” Mia and Caden found Mom busily washing dirt off their little sister’s face and arms. “How did Libby get so dirty?” asked Caden.
“She was playing outside—digging in the flower beds,” Mom answered.
“I wasn’t playing,” said Libby. “I was planting a garden. I found the seeds on Caden’s desk, so I planted ’em for you.”
“You what?” Mia was shocked. “You don’t know how to plant a garden!”
“Do too!” said Libby. “I dug a big hole and put all the seeds in it.”
“They weren’t yours!” yelled Mia. “You stole them, you little thief!”
“That’s enough, Mia,” said Mom.
“Well, she did!” Mia exclaimed. “And everybody hates thieves—including me!” She turned and ran to her room.
Mom came in a little later. “Mia, do you remember what we read this morning?”
“Um…something from the Bible about reaping what we sow,” mumbled Mia.
“Yes,” said Mom. “It was wrong of Libby to use those seeds, but what you planted was worse.”
“I didn’t plant anything,” said Mia. “Libby stole our seeds, remember?”
“You planted a seed of hate between you and your sister,” said Mom. “Do you want that seed to grow and reap hatred back from Libby?”
Mia sighed. “I…I didn’t mean what I said. I was just mad.”
“I know,” said Mom. “But when we sow mean, angry words, it’s going to have an effect on our relationships. That’s why we need to trust Jesus to help us love others the way He does and be patient with them. Because He loved us enough to save us by dying for our sins, we can sow seeds of love in our relationships with others.”
Mia nodded. “I’ll tell Libby I’m sorry. And maybe we could buy some more seeds so I can teach her how to plant them the right way.”
“I think that’s a great idea,” said Mom. “And I think you’re learning how to plant some other seeds the right way too—seeds of kindness.”
–Tiare A. Street
How about you?
What kind of seeds do you sow? How do you react when people do things you don’t like? The Bible says you reap what you sow, meaning that what you plant in your relationships with others is what will grow over time. You sow seeds by the way you treat others. Trust God to help you sow seeds of love that will produce a fruitful harvest of the love He has shown you.
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