An analogy that works...

Excerpt taken from Lysa TerKeurst's blog -


Yes, sometimes it is very scary to say we want to follow after God completely. For the minute we do this- little scenes of possibilities start flashing before us. A dirt hut. A life of poverty. Some kind of horrible tragedy to test us. A health crises that pushes us to the brink. Loss. Pain. Extreme sacrifice.

Satan says, "Look at all you'll have to give up. And there is no guarantee that Jesus will come through for you. None at all. Don't take this Jesus thing too seriously- lighten up.

Jesus says, "Look at all you have to gain. My love for you is so completely consuming, I can only have your best interest in mind. Make me the the center of your heart- and you will light up the world."

It's kind of like a little seed in a seed packet. The little seed likes living in the seed packet. The seed packet is safe and relatively nice- a little plain but nice nonetheless.

Then one day the farmer comes and plucks the seed out of the seed packet. Suddenly, it is pushed down into the deep, dark messy place. The seed cries out, "Why have you done this? I like being a seed in a seed packet. I don't want to leave the other seeds in the seed packet. Why do they get to stay in the seed packet. This is not fair. This is horrible. My life is bad."

Then horror of all horrors, the farmer pours water over the deep, dark, messy place. So much so that the seed starts to break apart and life as he knew it slowly slips away. The seed cries out again and again but the farmer seems cruel and silent. "Why? Why me?" seems to be the only thing the seed can utter over and over again.

But then one day this green shoot burst forth from the ruins of the seed and pushes up through the deep, dark, messy place and into the glorious light. It grows and blooms and becomes all that it had the potential to become.

Now, think about that farmer. Was he mean and cruel? Or was his love for that seed so consuming that he could only have the seed's best interest in mind?