Generosity – Seeds of Faith
Two weekends ago, I had the pleasure of joining my 6th and 8th graders on the Middle School Fall Retreat at Camp Chestnut Ridge. The theme of the weekend was “Seeds of Faith”. We read and discussed Matthew 13:31-33. It tells us that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, which is one of the smallest of seeds – yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants – as big as a tree! Director of Youth Ministry Genevieve Brooks even had mustard seeds to hand out to each middle schooler so they could experience the size of a mustard seed for themselves. From there, we talked about who had planted seeds of faith in each of us and what it would take for us to be seed scatterers in God’s world. I wish you could have heard some of their thoughts on the subject – so wise! It was an all-around awesome weekend with the perfect balance of faith formation, fellowship, and fun.
On my drive home, I was thinking about seeds of faith and who had scattered seeds in my life and who had planted seeds in our children’s lives. I thought back to my sixth grader’s first introduction to someone who is now one of her best friends. It happened in the nursery room when her mom and I were volunteering one Sunday. We hit it off and from there a fast friendship grew from a small seed.
My 8th grader has loved Vacation Bible School so much that he couldn’t wait to be a youth helper again this past summer. As I saw him giving piggyback rides to the four-year-olds in his assigned class, I realized that he was planting the seeds of a love of VBS, just as others had done for him.
And our youngest, in 2nd grade, was excited to return to regular Sunday School once we felt comfortable regarding Covid. He explored the halls with enthusiasm as he reminded me of happy memories of his time at the Weekday School, where his teachers planted seeds of faith in him and his classmates and radiated love to each of them.
Whenever our three kids enter this building, warm, sunny memories of Sunday School lessons, Easter egg hunts, elementary school movie nights and youth group gatherings go through their minds. All reminders that they are full of seeds of faith, planted with love by many. While each of these seeds may be growing in different ways, they are being tended to and nourished so that one day, probably sooner rather than later, they will each be seed scatterers to others. And isn’t that what God calls us to do? To share the good news and spread seeds of faith!