Unless A Seed...
John 12:24 tells us "Unless a seed falls into the ground and dies, it will only be a seed. If it dies, it will give much grain". Jesus spoke here concerning both His future sacrifice and to us in how to view advancing His kingdom and grow ourselves.
So why is this familiar picture above from The Wizard Of Oz shown? Remember how the three characters Dorothy encountered all sought something they felt lacking - a brain, a heart, and courage?
Now also recall how when they left their places, had compassion for Dorothy, and journeyed towards the Wizard Of Oz that in the end it was not the Wizard who gave them what they sought - as they had previously believed. It was as a result of moving forward and especially when they risked their lives in rescuing Dorothy from the castle that the qualities they already unknowingly possessed came out and made a difference.
Just as the characters from the movie, you already have all the supreme qualities God desires to come out inside of you, placed there by His Holy Spirit. As believers in Christ, we have sown into our hearts God's Word, which centers around love, compassion and giving. As you continue to read and meditate on God's Word, you learn more about how this love is expressed by yielding to the Holy Spirit.
Our flesh will resist dying in areas and reaching out in faith to help others, but it is when this reaching out and dying occurs that the "much grain" which was proclaimed by Jesus will appear. I feel the Amplified Bible brings it out best in Ephesians 3:19 to say "That you may really come to know practically, through experience for yourselves the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge without experience". It is by experiencing, practicing, walking towards others that we will come know the love of Christ.
So how can we "die" in the area of finances? One way is to consider where our treasures are (see Matthew 6:19-21). If we are consumed with spending on ourselves and ignore the needs of others and the Lord's work it will show in our spending. Even beginning with the tithe, as through our church people are reached and ministered to both locally and around the globe through missionary support, affecting their eternal destiny.
If tithing and giving offerings is a struggle, the first place to look is at your discretionary spending. Consider what is the end result of those "things" that were purchased... they turn to dust. Now consider what Matthew 6:20 says - to store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, which lasts forever. If we "die" to inflated discretionary spending habits, we will then have sufficient means to tithe, give offerings and give to others, which will yield "much grain".
Certainly, there are many areas we can apply the "dying" that Jesus spoke of and see a harvest. Lastly, be encouraged by what is written in Galatians 6:9:
"And let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart."
God Bless you and may He show Himself greatly to you,
Paul
