The extravagance of God

I called them “whirlybirds” when I was young.

Now they are weed-seeds.

At the end of my rake a potential forest slumbers where maple seeds by the thousands lodge in the brown thatch. It is hard raking. But as I comb the seeds into piles, my yard becomes a classroom where I learn something of God’s extravagance.

Of all the seeds that the maples scattered, few will germinate. Some have already become snacks for wildlife. Many have decayed. And now each sweep of my rake collects hundreds more to face new destinies: a plastic bag, then a distant compost heap.

Yet the maples sowed, heedless of the poor return. They extravagantly cast their seeds to the wind. Enough will survive that another generation of trees is certain.

As I drop a crinkly batch into the bag, another Sower comes to mind—the Creator of this extravaganza. God showers material blessings on all of us. Jesus said that God “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45)

And God gives bountiful spiritual blessings: “The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,” (Titus 2:11) and, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son” (John 3:16).

When I consider the multitudes who spurn this spiritual Gift, it is easy to think that God’s effort is as barren as the seeds in my bulging bag.

Yet the sun shines, the rain falls, and the truth is still sown: “[Jesus] died for all” (2 Corinthians 5:15). What extravagant giving! All because God “is patient, . . . not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

The next time that I am tempted to withhold a kindness, to nurse a grudge, or to dole out harshness instead of mercy, memories of maple seeds will check me: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6).

God has been extravagant with me. How can I be stingy?

All scriptures are taken by permission from The Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Article originally printed in Decision magazine, May 1996; ©1996 Dennis Gladden; used by permission, all rights reserved.