Verse: 1 Corinthians 3:5-9
“What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.”
Thoughts
When I was in school, I've got to be honest, I hated group projects. Hated them. You know why? It always fell to me to do the work. I feel like I often ended up in projects where I was the only person who cared about the grade. Has that ever happened to you?
The good news about this verse is that that's not true in the Kingdom of God. Instead, we all have important parts to play, but we don't have to do it all. This is so helpful in two ways:
First, when you think of people in your life that you care about who aren't following Jesus, it is so helpful to know that you don't have to do it all. You are only one part of their story. God has others that he will bring to plant seeds, water them, and harvest them. Often when we really care for someone we feel pressure to do it all - but this passage encourages us that we only have to do our part.
Second, you have a part to play!! As you go through your life, God has opportunities everywhere for you to be used by Him. He wants to use you to plant seeds, to water seeds, and to harvest seeds. You never know when a conversation will end up planting a seed of faith with someone. Or when an invitation to church or youth group will end up watering a seed that someone else planted. Or when a prayer will end up moving a heart closer to Jesus. These are all things we can all do. And the good news is you only have to do your part. But it's important to know that you DO have a part! God wants to use you!
Prayer
Help me to see the people and times where you want to use me to plant seeds in the lives of others.