“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”
1 Corinthians 3:6 (ESV)Hey friends/family,
If you found some of the messages close to home this week, me too. I’m not writing any of this from another side. I’m in the middle of it, same as you.
I’ve held back words I should have said. I’ve led with the correction and buried the encouragement. I’ve driven home from my parent’s house with a thousand unsaid things and told myself there’s always next time. I’ve given my wife advice when all she actually needed was for me to pull over and listen. I’ve looked at one of my sons and seen the grade instead of the kid carrying it.
The flesh is convincing. It always has a good reason to stay quiet.
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
This week we watched five people face the same fundamental choice: say the word the Spirit was prompting, or protect ourselves from the discomfort of saying it.
Marcus held back “I’m proud of you” and his son ate dinner alone. Derek solved the problem instead of holding the person and something quietly closed between him and his wife. Craig dismissed a Wednesday-night nudge and found out weeks later his son had been in a dark place. Kevin almost let comfort keep him from twelve seconds that changed the direction of a person’s week, maybe more. And Tom drove home with the most important thing still in his chest because there was always a next visit.
Every one of those stories is ours. We just have different names on them.
“God loves our progress, not our perfection. We don’t have to get it all right this week. We just have to say one true thing to one person who needs it.”
Here’s the grace in this: Paul wasn’t telling us to be eloquent. He wasn’t telling us to be Billy Graham at the kitchen table. He was telling us to plant. Show up. Do your part. Trust God with the growth. The pressure we put on ourselves to say the perfect thing at the perfect time is exactly what the flesh uses to keep us from saying anything at all.
Sometimes the most important thing you say this week isn’t a sermon. It’s “I’m proud of you.” It’s “I hear you.” It’s “Hey, how are you really doing?” It’s “Dad, I want you to know something.” One word. Planted at the right moment. Watered by love. God handles the growth.
ONE THING TO CARRY INTO NEXT WEEK
Your words are seeds. Keep planting.
Before this weekend ends, say the one thing you’ve been sitting on. It doesn’t have to be long or polished. It just has to be true, and it has to actually leave your mouth.
We stumble. We get back up. That’s exactly why we’re here.
See it from God’s seat. Your words are seeds. Keep planting.
Stay in step with the Spirit.
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