"Happy Johnny Appleseed Day"

This morning I was struggling a bit for a topic.  But then, because it is March 11th, I decided to try a Google search.  Do you know that today is National Johnny Appleseed Day?

Perhaps you remember his story from elementary school.  From those years I remember him as a happy wandering farmer traveling the Earth with a sack full of apple seeds, planting them wherever he went.  

His story reminds me of the one that Jesus tells in Luke 8:5-8.  He said, "A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up.  Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.  Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.  Still other seed fell on good soil.  It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown."  When he said this, he called out, "whoever has ears to hear, let them hear".

Jesus' disciples asked what this all meant and Jesus explained that the seed was the word of God.  Like the seeds that are along the path, there are those who will hear, but then the devil will come and take the word away from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved.  The seed on the rocky ground represents the people who receive the word with joy, but have no root.  They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.  The seed that falls in the thorns represents those who hear, but then whose belief becomes choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and finally the seed that falls on good ground is representative of the people who receive God's word with a good heart, retain it, and by persevering, produce a good crop.

I used to think that it was up to me to convince my unbelieving friends and family that God existed, that He was good, that He loved them, and that He sent his son to die for their sins.  But now I understand that whether they believe or not is NOT up to me.

God gave everone free will, which means we all have choice when it comes to matters of faith.  

No, my job is not to convince.  It is rather to be like Johnny Appleseed, dropping seeds everywhere I go by making sure those I know, love and encounter have at least heard the story of the Gospel.  What happens after that depends on the "soil".

Today I challenge you to tell ONE PERSON.  Maybe that frightens you.  Maybe like Moses you think you don't have the verbal skills.  Okay - I give you an option.  Share the video that is found here

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