1 Corinthians 3:6–8 (NIV) I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.
- Have you spent any time on a farm? Have you ever done any gardening? What do you know about seeds and planting and growing things?
- What is the seed in this context?
- What is the water?
- “The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose.” What is the purpose?
- Who sowed into your life? Who watered?
- How have you sown and watered into the lives of others?
- “Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything.” Is that suggesting that we should not think much of ourselves?
- Which is a bigger problem in our world, thinking too much of ourselves, or thinking too little of ourselves?
- Lewis said, “The real test of being in the presence of God is, that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object. It is better to forget about yourself altogether.”[1] Do you agree?
- Are there steps we could take to be more aggressive in planting and watering seeds? Let’s brainstorm as many ideas as possible.
- How much time between planting and harvesting?
- Why did God set it up this way.. Why not let one person do all the planting and watering and cultivating and harvesting?
- How can we pray for each other this week?
[1] Lewis, C. S. 2001. Mere Christianity. New York: HarperOne.
