THE SEED
A
Sucessful
Christian business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a
successor to take over the business.
Instead
of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided to do
something
different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I
have decided
to choose one of you. "The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued."I am going to give
each one of you a SEED
today -
one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water
it, and come
back
here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have
given
you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one
I choose
will be
the next CEO."
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others,
received a
seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story.
She helped him get a pot,
soil and compost
and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see
if it had
grown. After about
three weeks, some of
the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants
that were
beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.
Three
weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others
were
talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt
like a
failure. Six months
went by--still
nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone
else had
trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to
his
colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil -
He so
wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company
brought
their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he
wasn't going
to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what
happened. Jim
felt sick at his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing
moment of
his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the
board
room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by
the
other executives. They were beautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Jim put
his
empty pot on the
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young
executives.
Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and
flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be
appointed the next CEO!" All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the
back
of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial director to
bring him
to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a
failure!
Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his
seed -
Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and
then
announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief
Executive! His name is Jim!" Jim
couldn't believe
it. Jim couldn't even grow his
seed. How could he be the new CEO the others said
Then the CEO said,
But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible
for them
to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and
flowers.
When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another
seed for
the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty
to bring
me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the
new Chief
Executive!"
If you plant
honesty, you will reap
trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment.
If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap
If you plant faith in Christ, you will reap a harvest.
So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap
later.
Two thousand years ago Paul wrote to the church at Galatiathe
same story but with fewer words, "What you sow, so shall you reap".
(Gal. 6:7)
We are grass that will wither and die but the incorruptible seed of
Gods Word
will live forever - sow it daily into the life of your family! (1 Peter 1: 23 - 25)