Message in A Bottle
My wife and I were walking along a street this past week and we saw a bottle. This bottle had a plant filled with water and roots. The roots had gotten so thick that it was about to smother out any growth. I looked at her and I said “ There is a sermon in that bottle! “
We talk about harvest, we talk about planting seeds. But those who farm or garden know this, that when you plant a seed you have to nurture it. Water it, care for it and yes sometimes it's placed into a dark place or maybe a bottle of water. But at some point it's got to go in the ground and be planted. And when it’s planted, it must be spaced out…..so that it can grow up… and outward.
When it is fully grown we reap the rewards…..however seeds must be saved from this reward to be planted again so that this process can repeat itself through the seasons. I have seen church after church, ministry after ministry being filled to capacity just like this bottle filled with roots that has so much potential but they are killing themselves off because they do not want to leave the bottle to be planted thus a beautiful thing risks, dying.
Farmers/Gardeners “ Leadership “ in the context to which we are illustrating must help nurture, plant and space out the Church for future growth and harvest. As individual Christians we are called to disciple, develop and encourage growth.
The body of Christ is not a competition but a forward moving mission of seeing others come to the understanding that we all are sinners in need of a Savior. And when followed through as a process similar to this illustration we can see how in depth it can become. The good news from the seed “ bottle “ to the planting for harvest is that no matter what part you are in it. You are still part of the harvest!
Growing pains are hard, change is hard but the ultimate reward always outweighs the discomfort and or hard work placed into a mission. Don’t let the roots outgrow the space that they are in. Plant them in a fertile soil so as to enjoy the rewards of eternal future and destiny!
Luke 10:2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.