We belong to God's farm
I planted the seed in your hearts,
and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.
It’s not important who does the
planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed
grow. The one who plants
and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be
rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field.
1 Corinthians 3:6-9 (New Living Translation)
We often tend to skip our sessions with God for our personal benefits or some other factors. If we get to fellowship with a servant of God some of us feel that getting to meet that particular person makes God happy and satisfied such that it doesn't matter even if we lose our contact with God for some prolonged period of time.The apostle Paul gives us a clear picture in this context.
Paul emphasizes
on plants in his example. He equates the life of an ordinary man to that of a
plant. A plant may get enough water, fertilizers, etc. But it's only the Lord
who provides growth. The Lord provides air, sunlight, adequate climatic
conditions which render it's growth and fruitfulness. 
If we see ourselves through
these plants, there are certain resources we are equipped with, via God. These
resources nourish us, cleanse us and help us in creating our own identity in
this world. As per the scripture, we should not give them a priority over God.
We are being nourished and cleansed by them but it's only God who gives us
growth. He sets up an environment suitable for each one of us separately, that
we may grow according to our background and culture. This is the extent of our
Lord's love for us. He cares for each one of us.
This can also be referred to
servants of God who proclaim his name and help us attain salvation. At times
we, being humans, do judge them according to our thinking and understanding. We
cannot discriminate against such worthy souls as they all are pursuing the same
goal, i.e uniting the lost lamb to their Shepherd. We also cannot prioritize
them over God as they might show the way but it's God who can give us growth.
We all will be rewarded
according to the amount of labor we pursue in proclaiming the good news. It’s
not that a holy person will receive better rewards than a normal person. All of
us are equal in the eyes of God and all of us will receive rewards according to
our labor.
To summarize, a servant of God can only
help strengthen one’s faith and not induce it. It is God who can induce faith
in someone. Servants of God can be categorized as His fellow workers. They work
for God in cultivating His crops for better produce. We belong to God’s farm.
We all should work the best in ourselves to be the most-fruitful produce such that
we can stay with the farmer(God) and not be thrown out i.e we should grow in His
name as such, that we are saved and inherit His kingdom.
Message for the week:
We still haven't run out of time. If we pray and seek God's help, we still have "time to grow fruitful" and not just being thrown away. Recite this short prayer with me, "Lord, I know that I wasn't fruitful enough to inherit your kingdom. Now I believe that you sustain my growth just as you provide growth to plants. I ask you to make me fruitful enough that I stay with you and not thrown away."
Amen
God bless you
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