Reflections on 1 Corinthians 3:6
“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:6, NIV)
The Living Bible puts it plainly: “it was God, not we, who made the garden grow in your hearts.” The Remedy, by Dr. Tim Jennings of Come and Reason Ministries, says Paul planted the truth about God, Apollos watered it, and God causes it to grow and bring forth the fruit of a Christlike character. “It is God who heals; it is God who restores.”
We are each here as servants of the Lord, those who have experienced His healing power in our lives, to plant the seeds of truth in the hearts and minds of those we come across each day. Our next encounter with them is a time to water the seed, a chance for them to see the consistency of life and character the truth brings to a person.
We plant the seed, and there is no way for us to know how that seed is taking, if at all. The Lord brought them to us for the planting. Our consistency of life and the open kindnesses we show continue to water it.
We plant and we water, but we cannot make anything grow. The growing is God’s work, and that frees us from trying to rush it.
Rushing people into conversations they are not yet ready for can do more harm than good. Allowing the Holy Spirit to direct your words as well as your feet can be one of the hardest lessons to learn. Human nature tends to be impatient, but when it comes to matters of the heart, you need to wait for the question. Waiting for the question is truly how to give the truth to a soul who is ready for it.
The question may come in a form other than words. That is why it is important to truly be with the ones you are with. Don’t allow distractions into your conversations with others. Learn to be present in the moment, wherever that moment is.
Wait for the question. God will bring the growth and the harvest.
