Day 13 – Mark 4: 1-20

We live in an age where efficiency and productiveness are pursued with vigour.  It’s right, of course, that we should not want to be wasteful with our precious resources.  But does this apply also to our working out of the gospel in our lives: our mission to the communities around us?  Worry too much about whether particular seeds will bear fruit or not, and you will be bound to miss out on some fruitfulness.

Of course there are times when we cease a particular avenue of mission and service, because it no longer meets people’s needs, and has ceased to fulfil its original purpose.  This can free us to pursue new ways of working in the community and meeting the current needs of people.  But there is no justification for deliberately rationing our love and compassion.  Generally, everyone we meet and interact with in the course of our lives appreciates, and wants to know, that we really care about them as people.  Our love and respect for others is the most important aspect of working out the gospel, bearing all sorts of fruit that we don’t see, but is still there.  It also leads to opportunities to help and share the good news of Jesus, which sometimes bear fruit that we can see.

The physical limits of our time and energy mean we can be a real friend and neighbour to a limited number of people.  But we can be friendly and neighbourly to everyone we encounter in all the strands of our lives.  Love and respect know no limits!  Sow that seed!

O Jesus!  Help us to be generous, even reckless, in sowing the seed of Your love!

By Ian Tallentire
Barnard Castle & Teesdale Circuit
Local Preacher