A Time to SowSample

Seeds of Ruin

It can be disheartening to see people or leaders we look up to fall from grace. We read about athletes stripped of titles due to doping incidents or CEOs stepping down from their positions due to poor ethical choices. It’s most likely that the decisions they made were the result of seeds they sowed into their character – seeds of pride, selfishness, lust, jealousy, love of money or hatefulness. It’s even more shocking when it happens in the church.  

In the Bible, I often think of leaders like Samson whose weakness to Delilah led to him losing his strength, the Lord leaving Him and ultimately his death (Judges 13-16). Or someone like Moses, who courageously led God’s people out of slavery but made a poor decision to not obey God. His choice prevented him from making it to the Promised Land (Numbers 20:1-13). The seeds of ruin they sowed into their lives had serious repercussions.

We often miss the point of how crucial it is that we sow seeds into our lives that will produce a “healthy” harvest, rather than contaminate it. The stories of Samson and Moses portray how certain seeds can cause destruction to our lives. Although the seeds we sow might not be as detrimental, there may be habits we have established that could be harmful to our health, relationships or the calling God has placed on our lives. 

It’s the same for other people. The seeds we plant in people may not be intentional, but they can still do more harm than we think. We have to be careful about the words we speak and our interactions with others. Do we demonstrate God’s love through our actions or display bitterness and anger? It’s incredible how our actions and attitudes can affect those around us and play into their perspective of a situation. 

The Parable of the Sower is the perfect example of how even the placement of seeds can affect the outcome. The seeds that were sown along the path, on the rocky ground and those that fell among the thorns didn’t even produce a harvest. How deeply rooted are the seeds we are planting in our lives? 

Awareness is key to recognizing the impact certain seeds can have on our lives. It’s important to take time to reflect on your actions and words throughout the day and recognize any seeds other people may have planted in your life that you don’t want to sprout.