1 Corinthians 3:6-7 -- Head down, chopping weeds

 

1 Corinthians 3:6-7

 

NKJV

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

 

NLT

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. 

 

When I was a little kid, we had this great big garden.  Huge in my little eyes.  Probably an acre.  Me and my brother used to argue over who was doing the most work.  I’m pretty sure we spent more time leaning on the hoe, arguing than we did actually working.  Until Dad showed up, then he would tell us to get to work and quit fighting.  If we had spent more time chopping weeds than arguing….we would have  been a whole lot more productive.  Dad used to say, “those weeds aren’t going to chop themselves, bend over and get to swinging that hoe!” 

 

I have learned something from that as I’ve gotten older.  All the time we spent fighting and arguing, the weeds were growing.  Choking out the fruits and vegetables that we really wanted.  We also wanted the badge of who was the hardest worker.  We didn’t really care about what was going to be harvested, we just wanted the title.

 

As Christians we all have different roles and responsibilities.  Our job is to not get caught up in the titles, but to put our heads down and chop at the weeds.  It doesn’t matter who planted the seed; or who watered the seed; or who chopped at the weeds.  All that matters is that God is glorified because He gives the increase.

 

Head down, chopping weeds.

cej