The Seeds of Legacy
Genesis 1:11 ESV
And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so.
One of the habits I've developed is reading the entire Bible each year. I've been doing this for about 15 years and follow a reading plan to stay on track. Over the years I've used different types of plans and have read different translations. I do this in addition to studying the Bible each day. God is always revealing new things to me through His living and active Word. This is one of the reasons I enjoy reading God's Word so much.
When I read Genesis 1:11 this year, the reference to seeds stood out to me. Although I've read this verse countless times, I'd never stopped to reflect on seeds. My initial thought was around the purpose of seeds. Seeds serve to produce the next generation of the plant or tree. In essence, seeds are the vehicle for one generation of the plant to pass along its legacy to the next generation. For men, our physical seed serves the same purpose but even more important is the passing along of our spiritual seeds.
Jesus spoke of seeds often. This resonated with His original audience, many of whom were farmers or arborists. In the parable of the mustard seed, Jesus describes how the smallest seed grows into the largest plant as an analogy of our faith. Of course, this doesn't happen by accident. Just as the seed needs to be nurtured, we must be intentional about teaching the next generation about the foundation of our faith. The Apostle Paul goes on to note that we work collectively with other believers in the discipling process and God provides the growth (1 Cor. 3:7). A seed doesn't reach its fullest potential without nurturing. In the same manner, our legacy won't be maximized without discipleship.
Seeds must also be protected in order to grow to full maturity. There may be weeds near the plant, but they can't be allowed to overtake it. Jesus alludes to this in the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-30). The ones we strive to pass our legacy onto are going to face outside influences. At times, those influences come with temptations that will seem appealing but lead to painful and harmful outcomes. As legacy builders, we can't turn a blind eye to this. We must follow Paul's instructions in Ephesians 6:4, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." Breaking this down,
1. The responsibility lies with the father.
2. Explain rather than argue.
3. Training is intentional and habit forming.
4. God is the Authority. His warnings through His Word are to be heeded.
The Bible references seeds in many books and to drive home critical points. Since Jesus does this a lot Himself. We must pay careful attention and put His teaching into action. The 'seeds' we want to see flourish, must be nurtured, and protected. As men, it’s our responsibility to build a godly legacy. The legacy we leave will reflect how well we answered the call.