Seeds

I love sweet peas - the fragrance and beauty of the flowers delight me.   On an impulse I bought a package of sweet pea seed and planted them in an egg carton hoping to give them a start before I plant them outside.
The problem is that I am a terrible gardener.
I think my biggest problem is that if I plant flower seeds today, I would like to put them in a vase tomorrow.
It just doesn't happen that way, does it.
It is sometimes a long while before you are able to enjoy what the seeds produce.
One thing I can count on, the seeds will produce according to their kind.

I read a quote today by John Stott that I found quite thought provoking.

"Every time we allow our minds to harbour a grudge, 
or nurse grievances, 
or entertain impure thoughts,
or wallow in self pity,   we are sowing to the flesh."   

We have the list of the crops attributed to the flesh in Gal. 5:19-21 - adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outburst of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy , murders, drunkenness, revelries... and the like...

Horrors !  Who would willingly plant the seeds that produce those crops ??
It would be like someone purposely sowing the worst, most invasions weeds in their garden !   No one would be THAT foolish, would they ?

I thought about how easy it is to plant the seeds of sin  but because it takes time before the seeds grow into a mature plant we forget we planted them. Then too seeds are such very tiny things, are they not?  Hardly big enough to worry about, nor do they in the least resemble what they will grow to be!  


Who is not guilty at times, of sowing the seeds that John Stott listed?
I am going to be more aware of what I can expect to grow next time I am tempted to hold a grudge, entertain that negative thought, or feel sorry for myself.    And if I allow one of these seeds to sprout, I pray I will pull them out quickly and spray them with 'weed control' -- Repentance!

I will be more careful to sow Philippians 4:8  seeds in my mind garden .. and water them with prayer and fertilize them with love.
  "Finally... whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on (plant)  these things."

 Philippians seed will produce a fragrant and beautiful  'garden' that glorifies the Lord and  offers a resting place for others.