READ: PROVERBS 25:15; 1 CORINTHIANS 3:5-8; 1 PETER 3:15-16

Have you ever heard of ginseng? It’s a valuable plant used in a lot of health foods. And those who grow ginseng need to have a lot of patience. While many seeds will sprout within a week or two, when you plant ginseng seeds, they can take over a year to sprout! That’s a long time to wait for a plant, especially when you can’t see any activity above the surface of the soil.

Planting something like ginseng can help us remember what it’s like to tell someone about Jesus. Every time we witness to someone—that is, tell someone about Jesus and what He’s done to save us—we’re planting the seed of God’s Word. We may not see the results right away, but that’s okay. Jesus is at work, even if we can’t see it. So, instead of getting discouraged, we can be patient. We can trust that God loves us, and He knows what He’s doing.

And in the meantime, we can continue watering and tending to the seeds of the gospel by showing people Jesus’s love and goodness. As we patiently care for the seeds we’ve planted, we can show others how Jesus patiently cares for us (1 John 4:19). It may take a long time for a seed to grow. But when it does, it produces fruit that lasts forever.

And that’s worth the wait. • A. W. Smith

• God calls us to be part of His good work by planting and watering seeds of the gospel, remembering that He is the only One who can make those seeds grow (1 Corinthians 3:5-8). Have you planted seeds of the gospel by telling someone about Jesus? Have you been discouraged because you haven’t seen any results? It can be hard to be patient, but as we rely on the Holy Spirit, we can keep showing people God’s love and praying for them, leaving the timing up to Him. Consider taking a moment now to pray for some of the people in your life who might not know Jesus yet, asking God for ideas of ways you could share His love with them.

• It may be that we won’t ever see the results of the seeds we planted or watered, but God promises that His Word will accomplish His purpose. How might this truth free us to trust Him with the results, and keep planting and watering?

• If you want to know more about the gospel and how to share it with others, check out our “Know Jesus” page.

“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Isaiah 55:11 (NLT)