“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.” 1 Corinthians 3:6
“That’s a great idea, but I don’t think so,” I said.
My husband, Kyle, and I were standing in our backyard when he suggested building a raised flower bed.
Low-maintenance house plants have died on my watch, so this idea felt like a colossal waste of time and money. Kyle, on the other hand, disagreed and suggested we (I) try anyway. Within a few hours he had bought cedar wood, soil, and packets of zinnia seeds. That afternoon, I had a raised flower bed waiting for me to fill in our backyard.
Well, alright then, we (I) will plant those seeds!
One by one, I dropped each tiny seed into the black soil, gently covering it. Next, I watered, and then I waited.
Over time, those tiny seeds in the ground transformed into vibrant blooms. Purple, yellow, red, white, and pink zinnias opened their petals to decorate our backyard all summer long.
After weeks of cutting stems and placing them in vases around our home, it dawned on me that these flowers could bring joy to others. I sensed God prompting me to share them, so when it came time to cut the flowers, I started asking God who needed to be encouraged by a simple jar of blooms. Every time I asked, God placed someone on my heart.
As I prepared each vase and delivered it to a specific friend or neighbor, I was reminded that sharing Jesus doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it looks like planting small seeds of kindness, offering what’s in our hands, and trusting God with the rest. When we faithfully offer what we have to God, however simple, it can become something beautiful in His hands.
I didn’t make the flowers grow; I simply said yes (though with some initial hesitation) to planting and sharing them. Watching something bloom that I never believed I could keep alive in the first place reminded me of this truth: God is faithful to grow what we sow.
In Scripture, we see Paul describe this type of spiritual growth in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”
Paul’s role in sharing the good news was to boldly plant seeds of faith in both Jews and Gentiles. Apollos’s role was to continue preaching with his strong communication skills, watering the seeds of faith that Paul had planted (Acts 18:24–28). But it was God who grew what these two men faithfully sowed in their unique ministries.
Friend, what has God placed in your hands today that you can use for His glory? God can take our simple offerings and multiply them into a garden of opportunities for Jesus to be glorified. All it takes is a simple “yes.”
Prayer: Lord, thank You for blessing me with unique gifts and resources I can use to glorify Your name. Reveal what I can use to honor You today. Place people on my heart who need to hear about You, and give me the courage to go to them. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Want More?
Read Galatians 6:7–10. God’s promises sometimes require our perseverance. When we sow seeds of faith, we will reap a harvest in His timing. What seeds of faith are you sowing? Does the promise of reaping a harvest give you hope to keep saying “yes” to God?
