T H E PA R A B L E O F T H E

T I N Y S E E D

F. Wayne Mac Leod

Illustrated by:

Ranald E. A. Schuey

Light To My Path Book Distribution

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written

permission of the author.

THE PARABLE

OF THE TINY SEED

saw in my dream a tiny seed. Why my mind would ever focus its

attention upon such a small and insignificant object was beyond me.

For some reason, however, I was captivated by this little object. As I

took a closer look, I noticed nothing particular. To all appearances it was a

simple, ordinary seed.

In my dream, however, I heard a small frail, nervous type of voice, barely

audible at first. As my ears began to adjust themselves, I discovered the

source of the sound. It was the seed itself. My interest grew. I strained to

hear exactly what he was saying. What a sad tale he told. He was all alone.

A lonely apple seed cast aside by a passerby, who considered him not

worthy of keeping. There he lay, alone in the grass, unnoticed by anyone

but me, with a very bleak future indeed. "For what chance," he said," has a

lonely, insignificant seed to survive the scorching heat of summer, and the

constant caravan of birds in search of breakfast." Oh how he wept. How

downcast he was. He had given up all hope in life.

As I listened, I heard him say, "Why did God make me like this? Why did I

have to be born a silly seed? Why, I could think of a hundred things I would

rather be. A bird, for example, how beautiful and graceful they are as they

soar carefree in the sky, exploring here and there, diving and gliding with

the greatest of ease. What ability they have. Oh, to be a creature like that

would be so exciting. Or how about an ant, busy, intelligent, and creative,

making their own homes and carrying objects many times their own weight.

"Oh," he cried, (this time uncontrollably), "here I am a silly seed with no

such ability or intelligence, doomed to be picked up by some animal and

eaten, or to remain here and shrivel up in the sun." I found myself feeling

sorry for the little seed. What a desperate situation. How terrible he must

have felt. Yet I could do nothing to help him. I continued to watch,

however, to see what might happen to him. Days went by and nothing

seemed to change. The little seed lay there motionless, ever weeping, with

no hope.

One day the Master, himself, passed by and noticed the small seed

lying in the grass. How He would notice such a small seed I have

never been able to understand, but what struck me even more was

how He stooped down to look at it. As I looked at the Master, I noticed a

tear forming in His eye. What compassion, I thought. As I watched, I heard

the Master speak. "Little seed," He said, "why do you weep?"

The little seed, with his feeble voice responded, "Oh Master, why do you

waste your time talking to me. I am nothing. I have no ability. I do not have

the intelligence of the ant. I cannot soar in the sky like the bird. I am

doomed to lie here until someone comes and eats me, or the sun shrivels me

up."

With His eyes now full of tears, the Master, Himself weeping, spoke to the

little seed. "Little seed," He said, "I have a use for you. If you will allow

me, I can do many great things through you, but you must obey me and be

able to endure much suffering."

"Oh," cried the seed, "I do not know how You could you ever use me but

Master, may Your will be done." "Very well," said the Master, and with that

He picked up that little seed and carried him away.

s I watched, I saw the Master, with great care and concern, take

the little seed with Him to a green pasture, one of the most

beautiful I have ever seen. After several minutes of looking here

and there, the Master headed for the middle of the pasture, where there was

a beautiful river. After sitting on a rock beside the river, the Master looked

down to the little seed that had been securely kept in the warmth of His

hand. "Little seed," He said, "this will be your new home."

"It is indeed a most beautiful place," replied the little seed. "How can I ever

repay You for the love You have shown me this day?"

"I will know you love me in return," said the Master "if you obey Me and

are faithful to the end. This will mean many struggles. Are you willing to

face these for me?"

"You have already blessed me with more than I could ever have imagined

by your kindness and love. How could I refuse to obey You to the end,"

answered the little seed?

"Very well," said the Master, as he began to dig a small hole in the ground.

The seed stared at the hole that had just been dug. "What, may I ask, is the

purpose for this hole in the ground," questioned the seed.

he first lesson you must learn," replied the Master, "is that to truly

live, you must first die. Your outer shell of pride and sin must be done

away with and you must learn to put off the old self to gain the new."

With this, the seed began to shake and tremble, but somehow in his heart he

must have been at peace, for I noticed his reaction was one of trust and

confidence in the Master. He willingly surrendered himself, and the Master,

with great care and skill, placed the seed in the hole He had just dug.

As I watched, the Master covered the tiny seed with earth and put a small

fence around him that no predator might come to disturb or uproot what He

had just planted. Then I heard the Master call forth and the rain began to

fall and soak the bed where the little seed lay.

Down under that ground, the little seed began to feel the cold and

dampness. He shivered greatly. For several hours the rain fell. During all

that time I noticed how miserable the poor little seed felt. He was now

completely soaked. Down under the ground the seed remained, constantly

shivering in his cold, damp, dark home. I did not hear him complain,

however, but instead I heard him say: "What is this cold, dark, and

dampness compared to the love my Master has shown me today."

fter a time the sun came out. Gradually it began to warm up the

little bed. The warmth comforted the little seed, but he also began

to feel very uncomfortable, for the sun not only warmed and

comforted him but it began to stir up his inner parts. Things began to move

inside him, and he was gradually changing.

This process of rain and sun continued for several weeks. It was after a

week or so that I really began to see the little seed change. The bitter cold,

the dampness and darkness had certainly been a tremendous struggle for the

seed, but not anything compared to what he began to experience now. As I

have already said, the rain and the sun worked together so that the little seed

began to be transformed. He was transforming so much on the inside that

his outer shell began to stretch? You can imagine what agony he faced, for

he was literally being ripped apart. The bitter cold, darkness and dampness

continued throughout these days and only seemed to add to his already

unbearable misery. I cringed in agony for him. My stomach was upset. My

head spun, for in all my life I had never seen such suffering. Why did he not

give up? What kept him going? What drove him on? What was the source

of his strength? In the midst of all his struggles I heard him continually say:

"What is all of this compared to the love my Master has shown me?" My

heart broke, and I wept to see such love and devotion.

Several days passed and I began to notice definite signs of growth. The

seed, no longer, just a tiny seed was growing taller, and as he did, he

stretched out his roots to drink the moisture left in the ground from the

river. Day and night this moisture was his constant delight.

In a few weeks he began to poke his head above the surface of the ground.

He was pale and very weak from having been under the ground for such a

long time. What an encouragement he received, when he first poked up his

head. There before him, he saw the Master, who had never once left his

side. The Master beamed with delight to see the little seed. As for the seed,

he could hardly restrain the tears of joy. "Just to think that you have never

left my side," he said to the Master.

The struggles did not end here. His adjustment to the new atmosphere was a

welcome change, but not without its difficulty as well. The sun was all that

much hotter now that the earth did not shelter him from its rays. The

burning heat struck his body and caused him to ache all over. After several

days, however, his body began to adjust and he found the rays more

pleasant. In fact, he began to enjoy the sun, and would stretch out his arms

to catch as many rays as possible. "Oh the grace of the Master," he said, for

that is what he called the sun, "how it warms the heart and brings growth

and vitality to my being."

As the months passed, I noticed a tremendous change in him. Now several

inches tall, he began to experience a new struggle. The wind, which he

simply called "trials," would often blow through the pasture and I noticed

how at times it would strike the poor little seed or seedling I should say, for

he was indeed now much more than a seed. He would often battle these

"trials" for many hours. They would blow in his face as they sought to

knock him down, or if possible, break him in two. He would often fight to

save his life. The worst part about it was that he never knew when these

trials would come or how strong they would be. A few times my heart

almost failed me for I felt he would surly be broken in two, yet for some

unknown reason, he survived.

n the midst of all these struggles, I would often see the seedling look

up to the Master, who was always beside him. How encouraged he

was to know that his Master was still there. Just the thought of how

much the Master loved him drove him to limits I never thought possible. I

must mention something else about these winds, or "trials." They somehow

served to strengthen his trunk and each day he was becoming stronger and

more able to face them.

As years went by, he continued to mature and I heard him one day speaking

to the Master.

"Master," he said, "It's not that I'm not content and happy with what you

have given me, for you took that small, insignificant seed that I was and

made me into a beautiful young tree. For what you have done I must thank

you. Your love and faithfulness to me I cannot understand, but I am so

grateful and eternally indebted to You. One thing, however, puzzles me. If

you would be so kind as to answer I would be ever so happy."

"Simply ask," said the Master, "and it will be given unto you." "Master,"

said the little tree, "in the past several years your grace (the sun) and your

food (the river) have caused me to grow so that today I am not at all what I

used to be. All this time I have been very grateful, but I have also been

remembering how when You picked me up as a little seed you told me You

had a use for me. Each day I ask myself, "is this the day that I will be useful

for the Master?" When will You give to me this great privilege of being

your servant, that I might do something for you in return for all You have

done for me?"

"Little tree," said the Master, "the time is coming when you will serve Me. I

have all this time been preparing you for a special purpose. It is for you but

to wait and remain faithful."

With this the little tree was happy, and with an even greater dedication, (for

now his faith had been stirred), he continued to soak up the food from the

river and the rays from the sun, ever growing and maturing, confident that

the Master had everything under control.

few more years passed and by now the tree was tall and beautiful. It was at

this point in his life that he began to see something of the fulfillment of the

Master's promise to him. He often had the privilege of providing

the weary birds a resting place as they travelled to and fro

throughout the pasture. He was thankful for this ministry of

hospitality that the Master had given him.

As I looked about the pasture in my dream, I was struck by how

strategically the Master had placed the little tree. For he was one of the few

such trees in the garden who could so provide a resting place for the weary

travelers. He also had the opportunity to provide a home for several bird

families, and protected them from their predators by hiding there nests with

his branches and leaves. How excited he was to watch those eggs hatch and

see the little birds breaking forth into life and eventually learn to fly. The

birds were thankful to the tree, and year after year would return to the home

that he had safely guarded for them while they were away? Over the years,

many benefited from his hospitality.

By now the tree was producing a new crop of apples each year. These he

freely gave to all who had need. I noticed that he never once though of

keeping any for himself (I doubt he even knew what they tasted like). These

were the finest apples in the pasture. His friends, the birds, would come by

and eat freely from his abundant supply. The passerby felt at liberty to pick

the fruit from his branches. For those who could not reach, the tree would

throw down some apples to the ground so that the smaller animals of the

pasture could benefit from his fruit as well.

What nobody really knew, however, was how much pain he experienced in

giving of his fruit. He would allow the birds to peck for hours at the apples?

With each peck, he felt deep pain, for indeed they were piercing his very

body. When his fruit was picked, he groaned to himself, for his very body

was being pulled apart. He never complained, however, for the simple joy

of being able to serve the Master was far greater than the temporary

discomfort he felt.

Isaw the Master approach him one day. With a concern in His eye He

spoke: "My dear tree," He said, "I have noticed that you have some

branches that seem only to hinder your productivity for Me. The time

has come for us to deal with these branches. These branches are a

cumbrance to you and merely sap you of your strength, but produce no

good fruit."

"My desire," said the tree, "is to be the best I can be for You. Do what you

must that I might be entirely what I should be." With that, to my horror, I

saw the Master pull out a great saw. He placed the saw on one of the

branches close to the trunk and began to saw. What pain shot through the

entire tree as the teeth of the Master's saw dug deeper and deeper into his

limbs. The sap oozed out where the Master cut. For a whole hour, which

seemed to endure an eternity, I saw the Master cutting one branch after

another. The tree screamed out in anguish, for it is never easy to lose part of

oneself, even though these things may be a hindrance to one's productivity

and growth. He endured with great confidence in his Master, however, and

finally the last branch fell.

The Master then proceeded to place a balm on each of these wounds. How

it soothed the pain. So soothing was the balm that when the final wound had

been covered, the tree felt joy and peace as he had never before

experienced. He found a new vigour for service, and was immediately

aware of new growth. If only he had known before of these branches that

had hindered him, he would have asked the Master to rid him of them

sooner.

For many more years the tree remained in the centre of the pasture. He

proved to be faithful and consistent? He continued to bear fruit and provide

for those who passed by. His branches were a comfort for the weary and a

home for the homeless. He faced many storms, and the "trials" (the wind)

often came to perplex him. There were also many times when he had to call

on the Master to prune the branches that were non-productive. In all, he was

content and happy. He had grown to love the home the Master had given

him and was constantly filled with joy as he continued to serve.

One day I saw the Master leave the pasture. This perplexed me, for I

wondered what He was doing. After a time, I saw Him return, and in His

hand He carried another tiny seed. This tiny seed He placed beside the tree

and walked away. The apple tree, looking down, saw the tiny seed and was

overcome with compassion and joy, for he remembered the time when he,

himself, was the same size as that little seed. He remembered his sorrow

and how the Master had cared for him in his need. "Little seed," he cried

out, "where have you come from, and what are you doing here?"

Somewhat startled, the tiny seed looked up and said, "Sir, I remember very

little about my past and for the most part choose to forget it, for there is

nothing I would desire to boast in. Let me simply say that in my despair and

misery, the Master showed His abundant love to me. This is all I now

choose to remember about my past. He has promised to use me, and I am so

grateful for His decision though I know not how He could ever use a simple

insignificant seed like me."

As I watched in my dream, I was again reminded of the Master's

great overall plan, for He had strategically placed that tiny seed at

the trunk of the dear old tree so that he could be ministered to in

his hour of need. I heard the tree, with great joy and excitement, recount the

tale of how the Master had found him and planted him in the ground. He

shared some of the struggles he had experienced and how the love of the

Master had been his constant driving force. "What sacrifices you made"

said the tiny seed to the tree. "What pain you endured."

"I have made no sacrifice for which the Master has not greatly repaid me,"

said the tree. "What is a little seed, doomed to perish, compared to what the

Master has made me today. As for the pain, it is indeed true that I have had

to endure much, but oh what is all this compared to the love the Master has

shown me and the joy I have in His service."

At this point in my dream, I saw the Master return. "Are you ready to

endure what this dear faithful tree has endured to become the best you can

be for Me?" he said to the tiny seed.

"Yes, Master," he answered, "I am confident that while the path is full of

difficulties, Your will is best." "Very well," said the Master, "but there is

something I must show you first.”With that the Master turned to His dear

old tree. "Friend," He said, "you have served me for many years. The time

has come, however, that you must go. I have another plan for you, even

greater than this. Are you willing to obey and move on to greater things?"

"You have never failed me all these years," said the tree. "All you have

done has been for my growth and productivity. I see no reason now to doubt

Your word. Here I am. Do with me what you will."

ith that the Master took out an axe. With mighty blows, he

struck the trunk of the tree. The tiny seed was stunned and

perplexed, but noticed the glow the tree gave with each of the

Master's blows. While the pain was obvious, somehow the promise of

something better strengthened him. He was so wrapped up in the promise

that he hardly noticed the pain.

At last the old tree fell. His branches were lopped off and his roots, which

were so deeply established, pulled up. The Master gently picked him up and

carried him away. After some time I noticed the Master return to care for

the soil that had been uprooted, leveling it off and loosening it up. When all

this was done, He picked up the tiny seed and after several encouraging

words, dug a little hole and placed that tiny seed exactly where the dear old

tree had previously been.

I awoke from my sleep with tears in my eyes. What happened to that dear

old tree? I am not sure. I am absolutely confident, however, of the Master's

design.

I considered for a moment what I had dreamed. I recognized that God was

not searching for great people with all kinds of potential and natural ability

to be His servants. He desires those who know full well their weakness and

are, as a result, driven to Him for daily strength. What great love He has for

even the smallest of His creatures. If only I would yield my life fully to

Him, He would use me beyond my greatest expectations.

Thus ends the parable of the tiny seed, mightily used of God, not because of

great natural ability and power, but because of a spirit submissive to his

Master. The sad tragedy, however, is that many a person with even greater

potential perishes, for they fail to so commit themselves to the Master, and

do not accept the lot that is theirs from Him. Could it be that I am one of

those people, so bursting with potential, yet because of my hard outer shell

of pride and sin, I remain stifled without ever knowing the joy of growth

and victory in the Lord? If God so uses a tiny seed, can I not trust Him with

my life? How much more can He use a man or woman (however devoid of

natural strength and ability) who commits their life to Him? May God so

help me to be such a person.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Light To My Path Book Distribution

Light To My Path (LTMP) is a book writing and

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Christian workers in Asia, Latin America, and

Africa. Many Christian workers in developing

countries do not have the resources necessary to

obtain Bible training or purchase Bible study

materials for their ministries and personal

encouragement.

F. Wayne Mac Leod is a member of Action

International Ministries and has been writing

these books with a goal to distribute them freely or at cost price to needy

pastors and Christian workers around the world. To date tens of thousands

of are being used in preaching, teaching, evangelism and encouragement of

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translated into a number of languages. The goal is to make them available

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The ministry of LTMP is a faith based ministry and we trust the Lord for

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would open doors for the translation and further distribution of these books?

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