a planting of eternal seeds

The seeds of good deeds
​become a tree of life;
a wise person wins friends.
Proverbs 11:30 (NLT)

Every day, I am given
opportunities,
chance meetings,
open doors...
to do the right thing.

It may be an action,
a spoken word.
It could simply be
a kind glance,
an encouraging smile,
or a gentle touch.

All just seeds.

But then again,
God might be asking of me
a grander move...
sacrifice of
money,
time,
talent,
effort.

These are Your
seeds of good deeds.

I've been known
to grip them
too tightly in my grasp.
Hesitant to let them go.

I've been known
to miss the moment
of planting them
in the fertile soil
of best intention.

The place these seeds
were meant to land.
They would have been...
watered,
nurtured,
grown strong,
in another's life.

But if I face each day
with focus,
open hands,
willing eyes,
to see a world around me
as opportunity to plant...
rather than,
a place that is trying
to snatch my seeds
from this tightly gripped
hand...

Then I should be happy
about letting go.
Dropping them
along my path
as I walk through
each day.
Leaving a legacy.
Better yet…
planting a tree of life
in eternity.
​
Then the angel showed me
a river with the water of life,
clear as crystal,
flowing from the throne of God
and of the Lamb.
It flowed down the center
of the main street.
On each side of the river
grew a tree of life,
bearing twelve crops of fruit,
with a fresh crop each month.
The leaves were used for medicine
to heal the nations.
Revelation 22:1-2 (NLT)

What a beautiful vision.
This is a prophecy
of heaven.
Imagining...
a tree that can grow
different fruit each month?

I long to be
a member of
this heavenly
"fruit-of-the-month-club."

I seek to
plant these seeds...
to grow a tree of life
in eternity.

The seeds of good deeds
that fall from open hands
today.

Along the way,
friendships will bloom
as I wander this path.

All You require
is my open hand.
Your seeds to pass
through...
a smile,
a gentle touch,
a kind gaze,
a generous word.

Each of us
becomes wiser
as we sow
these seeds…
giving more than
we take.

Word of God,
train me today...
to be a planter of these seeds of good deeds,
to hold them loosely in my hands and give them freely, as You will always give more.

Lord,
I am amazed
at Your truth.
What beauty You have created
here on this earth.

I can only imagine
the amazing walk
we will take
under the shade
of those trees of life eternal.

Let me be a part
of this planting.
Let me be a part of the fruit
that is born.
Let me help on this day
with the gifts You have given.

I hold my hands open
and ask
that You make me
more aware
of the places
You have tended
and made ready the soil.

Thank You, Lord,
for visions of eternity!

Thank You, Lord,
for including me.

Thank You, Lord,
that someone planted a seed
of good deeds
in me.

I will be faithful.
I will be fruitful.
I will plant.