Perhaps it may turn out a sang,
Perhaps turn out a sermon.

-- R. Burns Epistle to a Young Friend

Friday, March 13, 2015

Planting the Corn



Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. – John 12:24

Twice yesterday from very different sources this metaphor came up.  I decided I should probably consider it.  

A seed typically has the actual germ surrounded by something that protects, feeds, and sustains it.  The germ is transformed into the new plant, while the seed coat provides the initial nourishment that allows the sprout to break through into the light.  In the process, the body of the seed is consumed.  Without the dying and decay of the seed body, there will be no new life, no growth, no bloom, no fruit, no harvest. 

There are wealthy individuals today funding research they hope will extend their lives and perhaps even grant them immortality.  I find this sort of desperation poignantly amusing.  Observe an elderly person in good health, especially one in good spiritual health, and you will catch a glimpse of immortality.  Like a bean from which the germ has sprouted, the body of such a person is diminishing, but something about that one is stretching up toward the light of heaven.

A sower went out to sow the kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter wheat on the ground

God planted a garden. 

Imagine that a grain of barley became self-aware.  What would that seed think of being buried, of having clods thrown upon his head, of the darkness in which he lay, of the rains violating him and breaking open his body?  Would not our little barley seed (shall we call him John?) think himself sorely tried and troubled?  Would he not possibly suffer great fear and anguish entombed in his dark dungeon?  Would he not rejoice when he saw, at last, his destiny?



4 comments:

julie said...

Indeed.

I've also been given lately to pondering the parables regarding the pruning of the vines. Or more to the point, the idea that for the plant to bear great fruit and grow properly, large parts of it must be cut away. In the right way, of course. From the perspective of the plant, the cutting must seem like a tremendous torment: all its wild growth, which seemed so full of life (even the parts that harbor death, disease and parasites), cut off without mercy! And yet, depending on the plant some of those cuttings may themselves be allowed to grow and continue to increase, while the main plant bursts forth in a previously unimaginable fruitfulness. Afterward, maybe long after, the good of the cutting may be known by the plant. Maybe. But whether the plant knows and understands or not, the cutting is necessary. The suffering isn't meaningless. No matter how much it may seem so at the time.

USS Ben USN (Ret) said...

"There are wealthy individuals today funding research they hope will extend their lives and perhaps even grant them immortality. I find this sort of desperation poignantly amusing. Observe an elderly person in good health, especially one in good spiritual health, and you will catch a glimpse of immortality. Like a bean from which the germ has sprouted, the body of such a person is diminishing, but something about that one is stretching up toward the light of heaven."

A human seeking immortality in their body (or a machine) is like a caterpillar trying to remain a caterpillar.
Never realizing its potential and stuck crawling around the same old leaves.

Haven't heard Traffic in ages. :)

John Lien said...

Nice, julie.

I love that song. I have given up the guitar these last couple of months because, well, why bother? I am unable to play with other people around. But I did get good enough to play John Barelycorn as it is played in this song.

Maybe I'll pick it up again (now that my hard-won fingertip callouses are gone!)

Thanks Mush.

mushroom said...

That's good, Julie. Thank you.

Ben, yes, or a caterpillar stuck in his cocoon -- what a sad image.

It's always worth it, John. I can't get my guitar out right now, but maybe before too long it will be possible.