Lesson Learned

About a month ago, I planted some seeds in a little pot on my windowsill as part of our Holy Week at Home reflection. Maybe some of you did the same. I was surprised when I opened my seed packet and saw some very teeny tiny seeds. It was difficult to pick up a single seed. So instead of carefully planting individual seeds, I ended up dumping the whole packet into my hand and sprinkling all the seeds over my little pot even though the instructions said to plant them 3-4 inches apart.

Fast forward a few weeks, and this picture is what I have now. Waaay more sprouts then I know what to do with that are competing for space and light.

There’s definitely the lesson of the mustard seed in there somewhere, but another important lesson I’ve been thinking about is the importance of following directions even when they’re challenging or don’t seem to make much sense. I read the instructions, but I decided to do my own thing. Picking up and spacing out individual seeds was going to be a challenge so I just dumped the whole batch of seeds into my little pot. The seeds were so little, surely all of them wouldn’t sprout, and even if a lot did, I could take care of it later.

As I’ve been watching my little pot explode with growth, I’ve been thinking how I often make the same mistakes when it comes to following the Spirit’s guidance. When have I ignored her promptings and said too little or too much? When did I say no when I should have said yes or vice versa? When have I been too afraid or full of doubt to try something new or different? When have I barreled ahead when I should have waited? I sometimes balk at her directions because they seem too hard or silly.

The Spirit plants seeds of all sizes in our lives. Some sprout right away and others take time. What matters most is to pay attention and follow her directions as she helps us to grow, leads us to blossom, and ultimately desires us to produce fruit. So in this season of resurrection, I pray we follow the Spirit guidance and let her take the lead in this beautiful cosmic dance.

Blessings,
Pastor Annette