Ephesians 4:2 (NIV)
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with
one another in love.
James Bender, in his book *How to Talk Well* (New York:
McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1994) relates the story of a farmer who grew
award-winning corn.
Each year the farmer entered his corn in the state fair
where it won a blue ribbon. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and
learned something interesting about how he grew it.
The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed
corn with his neighbors. "How can you afford to share your best seed corn
with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each
year?" the reporter asked.
"Why sir," said the farmer, "didn't you
know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field
to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily
degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors
grow good corn."
He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His
corn cannot improve unless his neighbor’s corn also improves.
So it is in other dimensions: Those who choose to be at
peace must help their neighbors to be at peace.
Those who choose to live well must help others to live
well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches.
And those who choose to be happy must help others to find
happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.
The lesson for each of us is this: If we are to grow good
corn, we must help our neighbors grow good corn.
Dear Lord we pray today that we will help our neighbor
grow good corn. Help us share You great love with them so that it will in turn
touch others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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