Scripture: Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23
Program Focus
This program aims to encourage women to listen, understand, and obey the teachings found in God’s word. This practice can bring growth and a beautiful change in our lives.
Decorations
Decorate tables with vibrant colored plastic tablecloths. Use a 7” to 9” round rustic wood slice as a centerpiece, and add small flowers, plants, or succulents in small pots. Lastly, add various gardening tools.
Service Project
Plan a day for the women to come and spruce up the corps by helping to do some yard work. An alternate suggestion is to help a corps member who is elderly or unable to do the yard work around their house. If the corps has a community garden, the women can help by watering, pruning, and weeding. They can also plant new veggies and flowers. If someone in the community has tree stumps that they would be willing to donate, they can be painted and added to an outside area, providing a pop of color and a place to sit.
Once the craft has been completed, the pots and plants could be distributed to nursing homes.
Craft: Painting Terra Cotta Pots
Materials:
- Terra Cotta Pots and saucers any size
- Acrylic Paint (Various Colors)
- Paint Brushes
- Krylon Clear Sealer (can be purchased at craft stores)
- Planting Soil
- Succulents (can be bought on amazon or contact a local nursery.
Instructions
- Paint the Terra Cotta pot and saucer being as creative as you want.
- Allow the pot to dry.
- Once it’s dry, spray it with Krylon to seal the paint.
- Add potting soil and a succulent.
Seeds of Change
Read Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23.
Do you enjoy gardening? I do! I have always been drawn to gardens, especially those full of beautiful flowers and lush plants of various colors. In the last couple of years, my desire to learn more about gardening has grown. I find that there is truly something special about gardening. Not only does it reduce stress, but it promotes happiness and other health benefits. Watching a flower bloom, a seed sprout, or a tree produce fruit is enjoyable. It is also a great reminder of how amazing our God is.
If you are familiar with gardening, you know that there are steps that need to be followed for what we plant to grow and bloom. The same is true in our Christian faith. We must do things for our Christian faith to grow and bloom. This is why I enjoy reading the parable of the sower found in Mathew 13. Jesus loved teaching and speaking in parables. It allowed His listeners to not only relate to what He was teaching, but also comprehend, internalize, and apply the lessons to their daily lives.
In the parable of the seeds, Jesus speaks about a farmer who went out to scatter his seeds. In Jesus’ time, farming looked slightly different from the customs we are familiar with in modern-day North America. Then farmers didn’t live on the farm; they lived in nearby villages and would walk to the plot of ground they farmed. Also, the farms were not very big. They only consisted of a few acres. Farmers also didn’t have all the fancy agricultural equipment available today. When it came time to plant, the farmers carried the seeds in a bag slung over their shoulders. They would grab a handful of seeds and scatter them by swinging their arms across the ground in a sweeping motion. This vivid depiction of the farmer scattering the seeds allows us to imagine how some of the seeds could land somewhere other than in the good soil. Jesus knew that His listeners were very familiar with farming. He knew they would understand and relate to the parable, as farming was part of their culture.
What is interesting is that Jesus rarely interpreted His parables. However, He does with this one. Verse 18 begins with the word “Listen,” which is the same Greek word as the word “Hear,” used repeatedly in verses 13–17. Therefore, in the interpretation of this parable, Jesus is encouraging us to listen, understand, and obey the parable’s teaching. (Read Matthew 13:13-18.)
The application of this parable indicates that we have to be alert to how we respond to the gospel message. It may be that the busyness of our daily lives hinders us from truly receiving or responding to the gospel message in the way God would like us to. In addition, some receive the message with great joy but lose focus due to life’s demands, fears, or worries, which prevent them from being fruitful. Lastly, those who receive the message hear it, understand it, and obey it. Thus, becoming fruitful individuals, who strive to continue growing in their Christian faith, and encourage and draw others to know Jesus.
In life, we may encounter times of growth and fruitfulness and times in which some pruning, weeding, and change need to happen. Wherever you may find yourself today, know that you can look to Jesus, He will provide the “seeds” you need to produce the change God desires. My prayer and encouragement for you today is to plant yourself in a place where you can grow and bloom into the best and most beautiful version of yourself—the version that God sees every time He sees you.
