Funny how something that starts off so small can one day grow to something so big.

I am blessed to be the father of two boys who collectively started off less than 4lbs. Judah was 1lb and 12 oz and Jedidiah was 2lbs and 2 oz. Just last night I was remembering how tiny they were and how many tubes and wires they had on them as they literally fought to live. You wouldn’t know they had it so hard today if you saw them. They are normal 3 year old boys who have more energy than the energizer bunny. I say all of that to consider this contrasting and yet somewhat similar thought.

Where do things like murder, rape, wars and genocide begin? I would suggest that they begin as little seeds. Seeds of hate, lust, jealousy, greed, neglect and abuse. These seeds are planted and given different environments and opportunities they grow. They one day take a life of their own.

What may begin as a thought deep in the recesses of ones heart, one day finds words and then one day day leads to action. Now many of us will never let our actions or thoughts lead to such horrible acts but make no mistake as I read something today…that seed lies in each of us.

God warned Cain that sin was crouching at his door and he failed to heed that warning. I myself have sin crouching at my door and no matter what the seed is – I must starve it from anything that would allow it to grow or take root in my life. I have hated, lusted, been jealous & greedy. I have neglected things that ought not be neglected and abuse is not foreign to me. Today I am reminded of this powerful truth…

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:12-14)

I saw some amazing men and women in the NICU allow themselves to be instruments of God to foster life into my boys. I saw two boys being moved from apparent death to life and now the life and joy they bring to our family is amazing. God has done the same for me.

I moved from death to life on August 21, 1988. I made a decision to believe in Jesus and I received His grace. Now I pray that I am the instrument that He can use to foster that life and freedom that comes from knowing Him. I offer grace freely because that grace has been so freely given to me. I know those ugly seeds remain and stand ready to find root in my heart but I want to be diligent to empty myself daily to Him.

I want to plant seeds like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self control in my life and the lives of others. So that one day those little seeds will grow into something bigger than myself. This is my prayer.