Lessons from Sweet Potatoes
"Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."
-John 4:35-38
Fall is the harvest season for crops. Jesus used agricultural illustrations a lot to illustrate the Kingdom and what it meant to be a Christian. Recently, a friend of mine was telling me how he and his son harvested their sweet potatoes this week. They got huge ones, medium sized ones, and small ones all from the same vine, and boy were they dirty! Potatoes are not ready to harvest until the vine dies. Until Christ, who is the vine died we were ill prepared for harvest. There are different levels of Spiritual maturity in the varying sizes. My friend noticed that smaller potatoes were offshoots of the larger potatoes which were connected directly to the vine. Some of us are called to a higher calling, and are thus responsible for smaller potatoes; we depend on the larger potatoes. No matter what size, we are all covered in dirt until we are washed in Christ's blood.
Since Adam and Eve, humans have wanted to be the (God), or a large potato (more influence and power). No one wants to be a small potato. However, farmers propigate smaller potatoes for new plants. The larger potatoes are harvested (elected), washed (saved/justified), preserved (sanctified) until they are eaten (called out). It is then that they fulfill their calling and give nourishment to others (The Great Commission). Small potatoes are done the same way, but are not used to feed others. They grow others (church planter, ministry developer) out of their plant will grow a few huge potatoes, a lot of average sized, and a few small, and the cycle continues.
Don't covet the gifts of the huge potatoes, don't be jealous of the average potatoes, and be content as a small potato if you are one. You may never be well known, or part of a souffle, but be the root to the vine.
-John 4:35-38
Fall is the harvest season for crops. Jesus used agricultural illustrations a lot to illustrate the Kingdom and what it meant to be a Christian. Recently, a friend of mine was telling me how he and his son harvested their sweet potatoes this week. They got huge ones, medium sized ones, and small ones all from the same vine, and boy were they dirty! Potatoes are not ready to harvest until the vine dies. Until Christ, who is the vine died we were ill prepared for harvest. There are different levels of Spiritual maturity in the varying sizes. My friend noticed that smaller potatoes were offshoots of the larger potatoes which were connected directly to the vine. Some of us are called to a higher calling, and are thus responsible for smaller potatoes; we depend on the larger potatoes. No matter what size, we are all covered in dirt until we are washed in Christ's blood.
Since Adam and Eve, humans have wanted to be the (God), or a large potato (more influence and power). No one wants to be a small potato. However, farmers propigate smaller potatoes for new plants. The larger potatoes are harvested (elected), washed (saved/justified), preserved (sanctified) until they are eaten (called out). It is then that they fulfill their calling and give nourishment to others (The Great Commission). Small potatoes are done the same way, but are not used to feed others. They grow others (church planter, ministry developer) out of their plant will grow a few huge potatoes, a lot of average sized, and a few small, and the cycle continues.
Don't covet the gifts of the huge potatoes, don't be jealous of the average potatoes, and be content as a small potato if you are one. You may never be well known, or part of a souffle, but be the root to the vine.
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