Planting seeds

I enjoy planting seeds.

Every spring I get out some pots, mix up some dirt and plant some seeds.  Then I hope.  I water, I watch and I wait.

About a month ago I planted some grape and pomegranate seeds, as well as two different bulb type plants I found with my garden stuff.  I’m happy to say they have all sprouted and are growing accordingly (I think).  This past weekend I planted more.  I planted lettuce, strawberries, flowers, lavender and some trees.  The tree seeds I bought in order to grow them as bonzai plants.  I ordered the seeds on line and eagerly waited for the seeds to arrive so I could plant them.  When they arrived I found out that they come with instructions and some can’t even be planted for 120 days!  Most of the plants I planted will sprout this season, some though may not grow until next year!

For me gardening is a hobby, but I’m realizing that planting and sprouting has direct correlation to how I handle my role as a leader at work.  My seeds will only grow if they are planted.  Some of the seeds I had were over 15 years old (I doubt they’ll sprout), but they never grew in the package they needed to be planted.  Seeds needs certain things in order to grow such as; water, dirt, and sun light.  Some seeds take more time and special care and others like the trees next door will grow any where – literally.

What I plant matters and when (from what I’ve found out).

So how does this apply to our work place.

1. Only what we plant will grow
2. It will produce only what it is intended to produce.
3. Some ideas take longer than others.
4. Some times things grow that we don’t intend

Galatians says we will reap what we sow.  The question is what are we sowing.  Each one of us is planting seeds (ideas, concepts, a certain way of doing things).  If we as christians are planting seeds (or modeling a character) of hope, faith and love and doing our best then that’s what we can expect from our employees.

But if we don’t plant those seeds they won’t grow.  Our staff or fellow employees are not going learn by osmosis, they have to be taught and see those traits being lived out.  We have to spend time with them encouraging them and guiding them.  Seeds need water.

Some seeds are going to take longer to take root, we have to be in it for the long haul.  Change takes time, we have to be committed to our staffs character over the long term, what may start with us may find it’s fruition somewhere else but we have to give them the care and attention while they is in our care.  Some concepts they will get now others they will get later.

We have to pay attention.  Sometimes bad ideas enter our workforce we have to be willing to root them out when we encounter them.  If something is counter to our company culture that we are trying to create then we need to assure that it doesn’t grow.  The trees next door are prolific seed bearers and they sprout quickly in any place they find an inch of dirt.  But I have found out that if I don’t pull them out when they are in their first season, by the next season they have dug down deep and are very difficult to remove.

Farmers (and hobby gardeners) are hopeful, patience, and intentional.  If you are going to plant seeds of faith at your place of work you will have to be the same.  So let me plant these two seeds in your mind:  What are you planting?  And are you planting intentionally?  Your answer to those two questions will determine the kind of fruit you will be reaping in due season.