The farmer

It feels like yesterday when I was a shadow in the garden, walking the rows behind my Daddy. Wearing a pair of overalls and stepping barefoot in his tracks, I loved spending time with my Dad in the garden. He would loosen the soil, and I would grab the newly uncovered potato to place in the bucket.
Dad’s garden was always full of good things to eat, and harvest time was busy. Mom would prepare the yield for canning for the months ahead. With those days gone by, I miss the freshness of the garden harvest.
Dad was never a big-time farmer, just a gardener who understood the wonder of a tiny seed feeding his family and often the neighbors, too. My daughter married a farmer, although he would humbly reject the “big-time” reference. He prefers being called “The Hay Guy.” Through him, I gained a new respect for the American farmer. Up before the sun and home long after the supper dishes are cleared away, the farmer continues to look beyond the moment. They understand which fields will produce the greatest crops and how to cultivate, plant, and irrigate the endless rows for the best produce.
I have also learned to appreciate the slow-moving farm equipment on rural roads. Instead of feeling frustrated while driving behind the machinery, I see it as a testament to an American farmer’s hard work and dedication. Seeing these massive machines reminds me of the journey from tiny seeds to the produce that eventually reaches our tables. Slow travel is no longer an inconvenience but a part of the rhythm of rural life that I have learned to embrace.
It’s incredible how farmers devotion to his work can be a powerful metaphor for how a believer can plant seeds of faith in a person’s spirit.
Just as a farmer carefully sows seeds in the soil, Christians sow the seeds of love, kindness, and compassion in the world around them. The parable of the farmer sowing seeds takes on a deeper meaning when we consider the critical role of tending the seeds of faith in others. As believers, we can nurture and support those around us. We can help the seeds of faith take root and grow, much like a farmer cultivates the soil to ensure a bountiful harvest. We, too, can bring a harvest of goodwill.
Even so, the farmer’s field can be vulnerable to the elements of the world—such as flooding, winds, and drought. When this happens, the farmer does not give up. He begins again with renewed hope as he prepares the ground for a new seed. Similarly, when we share the Word of God with others, we may wonder if we are making a difference.
Sometimes, the element of sin threatens the harvest. We cannot give up. The Apostle Paul encourages us not to grow weary but to stay focused; he promises that soon we will reap a good harvest (Galatians 6:9).
Therefore, let us not give up on doing good. God has given us seeds of encouragement to plant in the hearts of others. We may never see the results of the seeds we sow in their lives. However, God has promised that His word will return a harvest (Isaiah 55:11).
So, let us embrace the farmer’s wisdom and continue cultivating the good seeds of the Kingdom of God as we love and care for one another.
1 Corinthians 3:6,9 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. 9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Cheryl Mixon-Cruce is Pastor of Ochlockonee Bay United Methodist Church and Sopchoppy United Methodist Church.