The Seed Nobody Could See

Leo pushed a bean seed into a paper cup of soil. His mother helped him set the cup near the kitchen window. Leo made a little sign with a green bean on it and checked the cup before bed.

Nothing had happened. The next morning he checked again. After breakfast he found a spoon and began scraping the soil away. He wanted to see whether the seed had started working.

Mother gently put her hand beside the cup. She explained that digging it up every few hours would not help it grow. Leo could give it the right amount of water and leave it where it received light. Growing would take time.

For several mornings the cup still looked empty. Leo marked each day on a scrap of paper. He watered carefully instead of filling the cup until it overflowed. On Saturday he noticed a small bend of green lifting through the soil. By Monday, two leaves had opened toward the window.

Leo called his mother so loudly that she came from the other room carrying a towel. He showed her the leaves and then put his spoon back in the drawer. He wanted the little plant to keep growing without being pulled up for another look.

James reminds us that a farmer waits patiently. Christians can trust the Lord while they wait for what He has promised. We can keep doing the right thing even when we cannot see the result yet. Leo had learned that watching carefully and pulling impatiently were two very different things.