Since the Bible was written in a largely agrarian society, farm images abound. St. Paul: Whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Jesus: Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Living in the city those same images don’t come readily to mind unless your house is next to a community garden! How amazing are the ten foot tall sunflowers outside of my front door. As the Bible reminds us, the growth that we see is not the end in itself but also about producing the next generation. So the church, while we love the church we have we must complete the circle of life by growing.
