There was once this wonderful full field of wheat. Everyday the sun would shine
on them, and help them to grow up strong and straight. One morning one stalk
said to the other. "How large and full we are becoming!" "Yes," replied his
neighbor. "I am sure, soon, we will be strong enough to be of use to the
farmer."
"Oh, I just can't wait!" Said his friend. "It will be so great to be used and
needed. I just know the farmer will find a special use for me. Oh, and you too
of course."
As the days progressed they grew and grew. They were waiting for the "wonderful"
day, when the farmer would use them for greater things. Each stalk sure he would
be the most prized one to the farmer. All this time the farmer had been so
wonderful to them. He watered them. He kept the bugs away. He even put
fertilizer on them to help them develop strong and healthy. They came to know
him as the most "gentle" man they knew.
Finally, the day arrived! They were so excited. "Hey, did you hear?" Said the
one stalk. "Today we get "harvested" and "threshed." What ever that means?"
Suddenly they heard this loud noise. It got louder and louder, the very ground
was shaking. "What is that?" Said the one to the other. "I don't know." His
friend replied. "But I see the farmer coming this way on this big machine!"
His friend looked. "He is pulling us all up from the ground! Look out! Oh, that
hurt!"
"Where are we going now?" The stalk asked. This is what the farmer replied to
them all.
"I am going to thrash you first. That will crush you and separate all the bad
stuff in you from the good."
"What!" They cried. "That will hurt!"
"Yes it will." Said the farmer. "Just trust me, it is for the good." He did just
as he said. All the stalks lay there in pain.
"Is that it? Are you done?" They asked.
"Not yet" he said. Then he turned on these gigantic fans. This horrible wind
blew so much of them away in the wind.
"Oh, that hurt too. Are you done now?" They asked.
"Nope, not yet" he said. Then he did the most unexpected thing of all. This once
very kind and gentle man struck them with a pitchfork!
"Oh, the pain." They cried. Then he shook them violently, and threw them into
another pile. "Please tell us that is all!" They cried. "We can't stand any more
pain!"
"I am sorry," said the farmer, "but there is more yet to be done to you." After
the winnowing, or separating of the bad and good, the farmer then put them in
this large vat.
"Now what!" They cried.
"You must be ground up into fine dust," he said.
"Oh no. There will be nothing left of us!" They cried.
"Trust me," said the farmer. The machine started. It was painful as they were
ground and ground to fine dust. Finally the machine stopped.
"Oh farmer, are we done now?"
"Yes, for now anyway, but you are not finished."
"What" they replied. "What else is there?"
"I still have to find the right place for you to be used!" He said. "Be patient,
I'm not finished with you yet!"
Then he took the fine flour and made bread! He worked it until it was right, and
put it in the great oven. He then turned up the heat!
"We can't endure any more!" They cried.
"Just a few more minutes" he said. "Done!" The farmer shouted. He pulled them
out of the oven. They looked at each other and were amazed! "Look how different
we are?" They said. "We don't look at all like we did in the field!" "Now what
farmer?" They asked.
"Now," he said. "I can use you to feed many that would die without what you have
within you to give to them!" "You have become me...I am in every part of you...
and I AM the Bread of Life!" Matthew 13:24-30 and 36-43
© Robyn Cavalera
robyajesusfreak@bellsouth.net
Please contact Robyn Cavalera if you are planning to use her writings. Thanks.
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.