Sometimes a person can make a significant impact in our life in a brief period of time. This describes my dad.
My dad only lived long enough to see me celebrate my 12th birthday. But in those twelve short years, he made such a positive impact on my life that five decades later, I still recognize his influence almost daily.
One of my favorite memories (I was five maybe 6) is helping him shovel grain for the livestock. We stood in the bed of a large truck and scoop by scoop, shoveled the loose grain into a large storage bin inside the barn. I can still see him, one large scoop at a time making huge dents in the grain pile. I had my shovel too, and one tiny scoop at a time, I lifted the grain out of the truck and tossed it toward the bin. As though it happened yesterday, I remember asking him, “Daddy, am I helping you?” And without missing a beat, he looked at me, smiled and said, “Honey, with every little bit you do, it’s just that much I don’t have to do.”
Those words of affirmation are priceless to me. My dad knew how to communicate his love and appreciation to me in a way he could not have possibly known I would need because I’d live so much of my life without him. So much given in one statement of affirmation to a little girl who just wanted to spend time with her daddy.
I believe the gospel offers a similar perspective about Jesus and our role as seed planters. Maybe Jesus would say, keep helping, everything you do, no matter how small it may seem, if done in my name, every little bit, every grain, has the potential to make a lasting, positive impact in someone’s life.
Jesus asked, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story shall I use to illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed! Though this is one of the smallest of seeds, yet it grows to become one of the largest of plants, with long branches where birds can build their nests and be sheltered.”
Mark 4:30-32 (TLB)
C. Deni Johnson
Right Hand Ministries 