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As we look around these days, we see everything growing and green. The abundance of rain has provided incredible nourishment for the trees and the grass. And now, with the heat of this past week, we see the plants in our gardens and fields growing before our very eyes.
I wonder if this lushness that we see all around us is what God saw in those early days of creation.
"Then God said, 'Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.' And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:11-12 NRSV).
I think, as I look around at the beautiful flowers and trees of this spring and now the growth of the summer plants, that it is indeed good seed that God created in the beginning. The seeds from the beginning of creation continue to provide nourishment for our bodies, minds, and spirit.
God created the earth and all that is in it, providing the good soil and water for the nourishment of the seeds. We were created to care for creation and one another. God planted seeds in good soil.
As we continue with the work that God set in motion, are we providing good soil for the seeds that we are sowing now? As we look around at our families, communities, and the world today, it is a valid question. What does good soil look like? What kind of environment do we need to thrive and grow to our maximum potential and produce good fruit?
From my perspective, I believe good soil looks like building relationships within our families and with our neighborhoods that foster caring for each other.
God gifts us with special talents and abilities, and if we share them with one another, we will reduce wasted time and limited resources. My resource of time seems limited, but my neighbor has extra time so he mows my grass.
I sometimes seem to have an overabundance of food, and his food resources are limited so I share my food.
There are many examples of how my neighbors and I work together to produce good soil and thereby help produce good fruit from the seeds of caring that we have planted. As other neighbors and the youth in our households see these examples of caring for one another the seeds of caring and treating others with respect are planted and nurtured.
Is it one hundred percent effective? No.
Jesus asked his apostles to feed his sheep and serve one another in love. As modern-day disciples of Christ, no less can be expected of us. May God look upon the seeds of caring and love that we are sowing and see that it is good.
Rev. Carol Johnson, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Williamsport and Saint Michael's Lutheran Church, Cogan Station (Quiggleville)