“Give as freely as you have received” – (Matthew 10:8b). After giving these instructions to his disciples, Jesus received some heartbreaking news. Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, had promised the daughter of his favorite wife anything she wanted because she performed a dance that greatly pleased him. She chose the head of John the Baptist on a tray. Pressured by the fact that he had made this vow in front of all of his guests who were waiting for his answer, Herod ordered her wish to come true and John the Baptist was beheaded.

As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone…(14:13a).

Can you imagine how Jesus must have felt when he heard of the death of his cousin? The man whose purpose in life was to prepare the way for him had just been killed in a brutal and dishonoring way. Jesus, feeling the same emotions any of us would have felt, retreated to an area where he could grieve alone. He had spent so many days reaching out to others and taking care of the needs of many but now it was time for him to take care of his own needs. Or was it?

But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns. Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick (14:13b-14).

Having more compassion for others than he had love for himself, Jesus reached out to others in response to their reaching out to him. This is who Jesus was and this is who Jesus is today. When we reach out to him, he responds to us. Jesus responds to our needs with compassion, which is exactly what he did next.

That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves” (14:15). This is your chance, Jesus! It’s getting late and the crowd is getting hungry. This is the perfect opportunity for us to lose this crowd and have some alone time.

But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary – you feed them.”

“Bring them here,” he said. Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up from heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. About 5000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children! – Matthew 14:16-21

Instead of sending the people away, Jesus invited them to sit and allow him to supply their needs. He broke bread and they ate as much as they wanted. The great love of our Savior was displayed that day. At a time when tradition and human reasoning both gave him a reason to pull inward and enter a time of grieving, Jesus had compassion on others and thought more of their needs than his own. What a great example for us today. But now the crowds have been fed and Jesus can spend some time alone with his father – not just apart from the crowds but even apart from his disciples.

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted his disciples get into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.

Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him, “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” – (14:22-31)

Jesus took time to be alone with God but did not turn away from the needs of others. Don’t get me wrong. I strongly believe in taking time to grieve, I strongly believe in spending time alone in God’s presence. God calls us to this. But He also calls us to walk away from that time filled with Him in such a way that we are ready to care more about others than we do about ourselves. Ouch! This is not always easy to do.

Lord, thank you for the compassion you daily show on your people. You are a God who supplies our needs and meets us at our time of crisis with the words, “Don’t be afraid. Take courage. I am here!” Only you know what lies before us this week. As we fill ourselves with Your presence, please go with us. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear the needs of others around us. May we focus on you and in doing so see others, rather than focusing on our own needs. In your power, may we experience the kind of faith that has us walking on water – believing that you will supply our needs so that we can turn our eyes off our own situation and see the opportunities around us. Amen.

“The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” – (Matthew 9:37b-38)

Right after saying this, Jesus called his twelve disciples together and equipped them for ministry. He gave them the authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. He gave them instructions for ministry that are still helpful to us.

Be generous.

“Give as freely as you have received.” – (10:8b)

Be wise.

“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” – (10:16)

Be opportunistic.

“But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.” – (10:17-18)

Be filled with the Spirit.

“When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking – it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” – (10:19-20)

Be a humble follower of Christ.

“Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names!” – (10:24-25)

Be strong.

“Don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.” – (10:26)

Be a voice.

“What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!” – (10:27)

Be God-fearing.

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell.” – (10:28)

Be aware you are valuable to God.

“What is the price of two sparrows – one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” – (10:29-31)

Be loyal and true.

“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly hear on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.” – (10:32-33)

Be faithful and put God above everyone else, including yourself.

“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it” – (10:37-39)

Be the body of Christ.

“And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.” – (10:42)

When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went to teach and preach in towns throughout the region (11:1).

Jesus did not just set up a classroom and teach his disciples by what he said, he taught them by how he lived. Jesus became an example of what it means to truly BE about the Kingdom of God – how to BE a servant and how to BE a follower. Now it is our turn to BE all God calls us to BE.

After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons” (Matthew 9:27-34).

Here are two completely different reactions with two distinct endings. The two blind men believed and their faith led to their healing. Once healed, the men who had once been blind had a story to tell and traveled the region praising the man who had healed them. The Pharisees saw God moving in the midst of other people and their jealousy caused unbelief. Instead of praising God, gossip and criticism were on their tongues.

When a community or group of people or Church family have a strong faith in God and spend much time rejoicing and praising God, God moves in their midst and the evidence of His presence is marked by miracles and healings. When negativity, pride and jealousy are stronger than our praise and faith, we miss out on what God could be doing in our midst.

Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their unbelief (Mark 6:1-6).

It saddens me how often I run into people who are “deeply offended” because it affects their ability to experience what God has to offer them. Their focus turns inward and they spend more energy feeling sorry for themselves and expecting an apology from someone else than they spend focused on God. I know I have been guilty of this myself and it is a miserable existence.

This morning, I choose to praise God and not worry about who has offended me. I want my coffee with a little room – room for faith and praise, not room for self-pity and pride. I want my coffee to be sweet instead of bitter. Lord, empty us of all that blocks Your presence in our lives today. Forgive us for believing in our own rights more than just trusting in You. We love You, precious Father. Amen.

Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them. – Mark 4:33-34

I love a good story. This week in youth group, Charlotte More read a story of how God compelled Beth Moore to brush an old man’s hair in an airport. I was on the edge of my seat listening to every word. I knew I had heard the story before, but I was enjoying hearing it again. There is power in stories. They keep us engaged and help us remember God’s teaching. Jesus’ stories do the same thing. They bring theology into full color and make it easier.

Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.” – Mark 4:26-29

At the Pregnancy Resource Center in Kankakee, Illinois, a reminder has been placed on the wall of our role in bringing others to salvation. It says:

Success in Witnessing is…
1. Living out my Christian life
2. Sharing the gospel
3. Trusting God with the Results
Success is NOT bringing someone to Christ.

God calls us to plant the seed but what happens after that is beyond our control. We cannot make the decision for another person. We can stay close by to support them and encourage them and answer their questions, but the decision to live for Christ is theirs and only theirs to make. We have to trust the way God uses His Word in the heart of another person. It is mysterious and beyond what my human effort can produce. I can plant the seed and I can pray for the harvest, but I have to leave the results up to the Lord. In the words of the apostle Paul: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.” – Mark 4:30-32

What an encouraging verse! We cannot get discouraged at our small attempts to plant seed, even when we do not see immediate results. Like a farmer, we need to have patience and trust that there is growth below the surface that we cannot see. We need to have faith and believe that God can grow that seed into something large and spectacular – something that will one day help others who come to rest in its shade.

He also asked, “What else is the Kingdom of God like? It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” – Luke 13:20-21

The Kingdom of God is permeating and has the power to transform! Jesus started with 12 disciples and look how the gospel has spread across nations and cities and communities and neighborhoods. One by one, the gospel is shared and new life springs up. The change in a new Christian is small compared to the work that God intends to do over time in the life of His children. Transformation and growth will take place and continue in that person’s life, and soon they will be planting seeds in the lives of those around them. This is how the message of Jesus spreads and takes root. This is how the Kingdom of God continues to increase.

Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’

“The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’” – Luke 13:6-9

Oh the love of our Jesus, that He would never give up on us!

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. – 2 Peter 3:9

If He does not give up on us, we should not give up on the lost. Even when we cannot see the growth that is happening below the surface, we must trust God for the results. We must listen carefully and obey what He prompts us to do and to say, and we must never give up on the seeds. We must see in it the potential of being the largest plant in the garden. For the sake of the birds who will someday nest in its branches, we must give it time, special attention and plenty of prayer.

How is Jesus affecting your life? What is your response to his teaching and to the difference he is making in the world around you and in your own life?

Word about Jesus was spreading all over the region. When he taught in the synagogue, people were amazed by his teaching. When he healed the demon-possessed, people were again amazed! Everyone was talking about this Jesus from Nazareth. Lives were touched and hearts were encouraged from far and near.

Amazed, the people exclaimed, “What authority and power this man’s words possess! Even evil spirits obey him, and they flee at his command!” The news about Jesus spread through every village in the entire region. – Luke 4:36-37

Jesus was making a difference in the ENTIRE region. Wherever he went, he was surrounded by crowds of people – people coming to hear his teaching or bring their sickness to him for healing.

When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed. Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed EVERYONE. – Luke 6:17-19

Everyone. Every person who came to Jesus for healing was healed. There was no sickness too great, no disease too complicated, no demon too powerful. Jesus was surrounded by crowds yet he took the time to heal each one.

Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon-possessed or epileptic or paralyzed – he healed them all. Large crowds followed him WHEREVER HE WENT – people from Galilee, the Ten Towns, Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from east of the Jordan River (Matthew 4:23-25)

Large crowds of people were so taken by Jesus that they were willing to follow him wherever he went! Now that’s passion! But it is very similar to our reaction after Jesus radically changes our lives, isn’t it? We fall SO in love with this Jesus, who would heal us or love us or die for us, we would do whatever he asks us to do. We would go wherever he leads us. We give whatever he stirs our hearts to give in order to fund the mission of spreading God’s word.

Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from who he had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Jerod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. – Luke 8:1-3

They were so excited about what Jesus was doing that they were willing to live sacrificially and give sacrificially. As they traveled with Jesus, they heard the same message over and over again and it was changing their lives – the message of the Good News about the Kingdom of God.

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.

“Again, the King of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!” – Matthew 13:44-46

To want something so much that I am willing to lose all else in order to gain that one thing.

To value something so much that I am willing to forfeit everything in the pursuit of it.

To care about something so much that nothing else matters except that one thing.

This is what God is calling us to.

Devoted.

Sold-out.

Passionate.

Do I value the Kingdom of Heaven more than my own earthly kingdom?

Do I value heavenly treasures more than earthly treasures?

Do I value spiritual rewards more than physical rewards?

Do I value my relationship with God above all other relationships?

Holy Spirit, move in me today. I long to hear from you. Empty me of all that is sin and all that is self and fill me with you. Amen.

Who is this Jesus?

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them.

When he saw evil, he commanded it to flee.

As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in a cemetery outside of town…This spirit had often taken control of the man. Even when he was placed under guard and put in chains and shackles, he simply broke them and rushed into the wilderness, completely under the demon’s power (Luke 8:27,29).

This man may have been under the demon’s power, but Jesus had authority of the demon. He cast them out of this man who was made to live among the dead. He freed him from this bondage and gave him new life. No power was too large for Jesus to control. He could calm the storm, overcome evil with good and Jesus could heal the dying.

When the sick reached out to him, he healed them.

Then a man named Jairus, a leader of the local synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come home with him. His only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus went with him, he was surrounded by the crowds. A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.

But Jesus said, “Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me.” When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” – Luke 8:41-48

What a lonely, isolated life this woman must have experienced. She was considered unclean for twelve years and forced to live away from her family in the tent set aside for women during the time of bleeding. Only her bleeding never stopped. That is until she reached out to Jesus. In the midst of her suffering and sickness, she reached out to touch the hem of her Savior’s garment and her life was forever changed.

When death threatens to undo us, Jesus takes us by the hand and says, “My child, get up!”

But the crowd laughed at him because they all knew she had died. Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, “My child, get up!” And at that moment her life returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were overwhelmed, but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone what had happened (Luke 8:49-56).

I don’t know what you are facing or how you are feeling but my Jesus who can heal, who can calm storms, who can bring back the dead, he knows. Reach out and touch the hem of his garment. Stretch out your hand and hear him say, “My child, get up!” It’s time to be fed. It’s time to be strengthened again. Jesus is here to restore and it’s your turn to receive.

Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields” (Matthew 9:35-38).

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them.

When Jesus sees our needs he has compassion on us. But how often do we feel like God does not care about what we are going through? How often does it feel like Jesus is in the back of the boat asleep during our storm?

As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” – (Mark 4:35-41)

When he saw the storms, he silenced them.

The disciples had watched Jesus do many miraculous things for other people. Now it was their chance for Jesus to do something miraculous for them. The disciples thought they were simply crossing the lake but Jesus knew there was more for them to learn. He wanted them to see things from the other side of the lake, see him from another perspective.

“Who is this man?” Jesus knew his disciples were not fully aware of who he was, that they still underestimated him. I heard a friend recently say that Jesus probably knew it was storming. He chose to sleep while his disciples tried everything they knew how to do. They were fishermen and had been in storms before. Jesus was simply waiting for them to ask, waiting for them to stop trying on their own and ask him for help.

Oh, how often we are guilty of this! Troubles come into our lives and we try to take care of them in our own strength first. The winds and the waves threaten us and we grab a bucket and start throwing water overboard. When we have tried everything we know to do, we finally fall to our knees and do what we should have done first – we pray.

By calming their storm, the disciples began to better understand Jesus, which strengthened their faith making them more effective workers in his harvest fields. Now they understood that Jesus had power over creation, over the elements and over the storms.

Jesus has power over the things going wrong in our lives, whether it is natural circumstances of this broken world such as storms or illness or whether it is the consequences of our own sinful decisions. Jesus is bigger than all of it. Let’s not underestimate Jesus today. Let’s make our first reaction to today’s situations prayer. The harvest depends on it.

“The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” – Matthew 9:38

“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad…For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart” (Matthew 12:33-35).

Good and evil. Jesus spoke of these two opposites many times, often in the context of judgment – judging what is evil and what is good, dividing the two and separating them into two distinct places, heaven and hell. The disciples asked Jesus a question that we often hear in different forms today, including in the new movie God’s Not Dead – Why does God allow evil to continue to impact the world leaving behind a trail of hurt, pain, sickness, and death?

Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’” – (Matthew 13:24-30).

God has not wiped evil off the face of the earth because He is not willing that any should perish. There are many who have yet to accept the gift of salvation and God is patiently beckoning them to Himself. God loves His children and desires for their destiny to be heaven and not hell, but He gives them free will – the choice between good and evil, between serving Him or serving themselves.

We don’t like to talk about hell. It’s uncomfortable. We’ve softened our talk on hell enough that there are many who doubt its reality. But Jesus did not back down from speaking about the judgment day or the harvest when good and evil will be separated. The reality of this coming separation should not quiet our discussion, instead we should be busy planting seeds and spreading the gospel in order to save others from being “thrown into the fire.”

His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”

Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.

“Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!” – (Matthew 13:36b-43)

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Do you understand all these things?” – (Matt. 13:47-51)

In the meantime, we live in an imperfect world where evil and good coexist. In the meantime, we have a choice to either be influenced by the evil around us or to cling to the good. In the meantime, we have a responsibility to overcome evil and spread the good news to those around us.

“Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” – Matthew 12:30

As we see the farmers out planting the fields, we can be reminded of our calling. There are those around us who need us to reach out and save them from the influence of the evil around them. Let us not become so comfortable in our own salvation that we are no longer uncomfortable with the knowledge that others are without salvation. As we sees the grass turning green and leaves returning to the trees, we can be reminded that God can make great change in the lives of the unsaved around us, just as He has transformed our lives.

For the last year and a half, my life has been greatly impacted by the book The 4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey and Jim Huling. The book talks about using “lead measures” and “lag measures” when trying to obtain your W.I.G.s or wildly important goals. I introduced these concepts to my team at work and they embraced them, making a huge difference on how much we get done each week and where we place our focus.

Lag measures are the measure of the result you are trying to reach while lead measures are the measure of what will predictably influence the lag measures. Here is a simple example that helps these concepts make sense. I am trying to lose weight before the school year is over. How many pounds I lose will be my lag measure, but I am probably not going to lose weight if my focus is on how much I weigh each morning. Stepping on the scales each day is simply not going to take the pounds and inches away. I need to instead focus on the lead measures – how many calories I am burning and how many calories I am consuming each day. It is reasonable to predict that if I burn more calories than I consume, I will lose weight.

Now let us consider Covey’s concepts while reading the parable of the farmer scattering seed. If the farmer’s goal is to grow more plants, and he knows that the more seed he sows the more plants he grows, it makes sense for him to plant more seeds in order to grow more plants. If he wants his harvest to be a certain size, his focus must be on how many seeds he plants and how many fields he works in.

One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. Still other seed fell as fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears should listen and understand.”

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest” (Luke 8:4-8, 11-15).

Not everyone who hears the message of God’s word is going to accept it. Not everyone who hears how they can receive forgiveness will choose to believe. Some of the “seed” we plant will fall on the footpath, some on rocky soil, some among thorns and some on good soil. If our lag measure is how many people pray to accept Jesus as their Savior, the lead measure is what? If we want to lead someone to Christ, not for our own gain but so that they can experience the joyful life we are blessed with each day, what do we need to do?

At the Pregnancy Resource Center, our mission is to save the lives of unborn children by promoting life-affirming options and providing practical assistance, while sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed, and to minister restoration to those who have been wounded by the trauma of abortion. So our lag measure is the number of babies born and the number of people who make a spiritual decision but our focus needs to be on our lead measures. How many opportunities do we have each day to present a woman with her options, provide material assistance to help her prepare for the birth of her baby, present the gospel of Jesus, and comfort a woman grieving from her abortion experience? If we want to make a bigger difference in our community, we have to have a strategy for getting the message out there of who we are and what we do. So client marketing is the lead measure we are looking at.

If our mission as believers is to introduce others to Jesus or see those around us accepting Jesus as their personal Savior, we could ask ourselves what we are doing to encourage those opportunities. In light of Jesus’ parable, we could ask how many seeds we are planting each day. If we don’t plant seeds, there will be no harvest.

Where will my focus be today? Is it just another day about me or will I see myself as the farmer whose goal is to have a large harvest this fall? If I do not set out with my eyes open for opportunities to plant seeds, I will most likely miss every chance that comes my way. Today I am a farmer and today I will look for opportunities to reach out to those around me and plant seeds because it may just be the seed needed to grow a plant.

With spring comes rain and rain is exactly what we have here in Central Illinois. We need rain but the results of that rain are making life interesting for those of us who have already been out driving in it. The streets are flooded and debris has been washed into intersections. Mud is mixed with the flowing water, intersections are traffic jammed and puddles are making it impossible to keep your feet dry. But all of this is to be expected when it rains all night long. The flooding and debris are a natural result of the storms. So what is the natural outflow of our lives and the storms we experience?

“But wisdom is shown to be right by its results” (Matthew 11:19b). These are the words of Jesus to the crowd of people, calling them to a holy lifestyle. Luke tells of the same moment in a slightly different way: “But wisdom is shown to be right by the lives of those who follow it” (Luke 7:35). What a great day to start my morning – a cup of coffee with a challenge to inspect my heart and the results of my daily life. The evidence of wisdom can be found in the way our lives are lived out.

Jesus went on to call out those communities of people who had seen all of the miracles he had performed, YET continued to live their lives by their own desires and for their own purposes.

“What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.

“And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you” (Matthew 11:21-24).

I cannot help but feel like Jesus is talking to the Church and to the Christian community. Those of us who have been blessed to have experienced the presence of God in a worship service or to have witnessed God’s healing power in the lives of others, we should be the first to submit to our Savior and live the righteous life he calls us to. To have experienced God’s blessings and then reject him as Lord is a serious offense.

Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen – the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. And tell him, ‘God bless those who do not turn away because of me.’” – Matthew 11:4-6

Once we have met Jesus, once we have experienced God, His plan is for us to follow Him. This righteous life is not a set of rules or a religion, it is a relationship. Right living flows from the heart that has seen God at work and desires nothing more than to serve Him every day. It is not a standard or measurement, it is an authentic effort to get to know God and to spend time with Him and to live your life connected to the one who created all things.

“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:27-30).

Again, Jesus speaks of relationship and a continued connection to Him. Everything Jesus did and everything he said was rooted in his relationship with the Father and the unity that exists between them. Jesus is offering us that same relationship, that same connection and unity.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd” (John 10:14-15).

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” – John 14:6-7

“O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them” (John 17:25-26).

What a privilege to sit at the feet of Jesus and to remain in His presence throughout our day! How marvelous it is to know Him and be known by Him! Lord, may my wisdom be evidenced by the result of my life and may my life be described as following You each day – not as religious duty but as an outflow of my relationship with You.