Making the world more beautiful
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field…”
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, ““To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived — that is to have succeeded.” While that seems easy enough there are challenges that exist with that exhortation. One is usually mindful of the moment and not how to improve the situation. I want to enjoy the wilderness as I am hiking, but at the same time, I have to stay on guard to not litter or damage the nature around me. We almost have to be dualistic (balancing two differing ideas) in our approach to life. Focus, appreciate, and live in the now, but be mindful of how you can make the world better.
Jesus’ parable of the farmer has an interesting element, which we never contend with. (Honestly, I had never thought about it until it was pointed out to me.) Mostly, because we are adamantly insistent on targeting on the soils of other’s hearts. Notice the farmer went out and just started tossing seeds everywhere. Knowing how farmers work today with such precision and assistance from computers to meticulously place the seeds, this seems so much more fun! What a blast to walk out and just start tossing seeds. How fulfilling to know every handful would make a difference and perhaps make the world a better place. The farmer, in Jesus’ parable, did not worry and fixate on the location of the seeds or if the birds ate them. The farmer confidently knew seeds would grow and worked to make a better place.
Maybe, Ralph Waldo Emerson had the same idea as Jesus. Jesus sends us out to make the world a better place by throwing seeds, or making disciples. His parable is a challenge to do just that. God is in the work of making the world a beautiful place again (we call that redemption). Let’s join him and toss the seeds and make the world more beautiful than when we got here. It is easy to become consumed with the soil. We can also, just as easily, start adding others jobs to our list of Kingdom work. The problem is that Jesus never said to do any of that work. Besides, many of those concerns or tasks we quickly take up will only, leave us in the weeds. Sorry, I had to! 😊
There is a growing urgency within the heart of the church and we must let ourselves be compelled to join that Gospel work. Now, more than ever, the world needs the Gospel which means we have to jump into the field and start throwing those seeds. It begins with switching our focus to be intentional in creating space for people to hear and experience the Gospel. Like the farmer, stop worrying about the soils and joyfully throw the seeds! I don’t know about you, but I want to make a difference. I want to see redemption and beauty in this world. I want to have fun throwing the seeds and make the world a better place than when I got here.
-Philip
