From Seed to Spirit

Have you ever considered that what seems like such a small thing over time becomes an incredible thing?The potential is always there. But it starts in seed.

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…”

—Zechariah 4:10 (NLT)

Reflection

I read something in a devotional recently that stuck with me. The author compared ideas and even our starts in life to seeds. And not just any seed. The kind that grows into something strong and deeply rooted.

Like an oak tree.

An oak doesn’t become a towering tree overnight. It doesn’t become a floor to walk on… or a barrel to hold whiskey or wine… just because it has potential. It takes time. It takes tending. It takes pruning. A lot has to happen before it becomes useful, beautiful, or meaningful to others.

But … when it does?

That same little oak seed can eventually hold up homes, support the weight of celebration, and even add sweet, subtle flavors to something being sipped by friends at a table.

Here’s what hit me.

Who knew that a simple oak seed would someday be the staves of a barrel… that would sweeten a spirit… that would sit at a table… where people might gather to talk about God?

That’s the kind of transformation I want. Not just to grow. But to be repurposed into something that serves a bigger purpose.

And it starts, always, with the seed.

Matthew 13:31–32 (NIV)

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for this thought. Thank you for the reminder that while things might seem small and immaterial, you have a way of turning them into something incredible. Thank you for giving us the view of this world that sees things in many ways but always with an eye toward you and what you are doing here. Please keep me, my family, and my friends safe. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.