Sunday, February 3, 2019

Sowing Seeds at the Grocery Store

One day on the way to an art class, I stopped in a local grocery store to purchase an orange and an apple for a mid-afternoon snack.

I stood in the checkout lane behind an off-duty Marion County sheriff whose food filled the belt. Noticing my two small purchases at the end of his order, he said in a booming voice, "I'll pay for her fruit. I am a seed sower. I like to be a seed sower!"

I was flustered at first. "You don't have to do that."

He smiled. "I like to be a seed sower."

I thanked him for his generosity. "I will pass on your kindness in the future."

Following him out the store, I saw him load his groceries in the sheriff's car right next to me - the only two cars in the parking lot.

I thanked him again and we offered each other blessings for our day.

His kindness reminded me of Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 9:11 - "We have sown spiritual seeds among you. " The sheriff was living out these words written by Paul, flowing from the love of God in his heart.

Paul wasn't talking about sowing seeds that result in plants, but "spiritual seeds" that when "planted" through acts of love encourage the recipient to ponder the kindness and perhaps "sow it forward" to someone else. Love sows love, you might say.

For Your Reflection

How can you declare and demonstrate, "I am a seed sower," like the sheriff did to me?

Prayer: God, living and moving among your kingdom is what we do in our jobs, in stores, at parks, and in all of the places we go. Remind us to be "seed sowers" in whatever form that may take. We know you bless our efforts to spread your message of love everywhere. Amen.

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