The term, “weed, seed and feed” originally came from a selling cycle. You weed unproductive accounts out, you prospect and propose for new business (seed), and you feed and nurture existing accounts for continued good business.
I like this notion. It is short, concise and helps keep a focus on needed actions. (It really pays in more way than one to have a husband in sales.) Over the years I have seen this principle apply to our spiritual lives.
Weed:
We weed out the activities, beliefs and habits that damage our good spiritual crop. We all need an honest conversation with the Lord about what He sees that hurts or distracts from our harvest. Not once, but continually. Then we need to do what any good farmer would do, pull the weeds.
Seed:
We go to God to receive more love, insight, and “seed,” then we scatter that as He leads. He loves to see new growth in our lives. He rejoices in those tiny green shoots taking root and thriving. But He has not given to us for our enjoyment alone. He has blessed us that we might bless others. At the proper time, He loves for us to work along side Him, casting out seed.
Feed:
We feed and nurture the relationship with Him and with others so that we will surely reap what we have sown. Call it fertilizer. We care for our God field so that we yield a God crop. Doesn’t this sound so happy? Churchy? And completely unrealistic???
It is because of this reaction that I have modified this cycle by adding one crucial step. Plow.
We do well to examine our hearts, fields and harvest. Why? Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Through Him, we are life bearers, seed-bearers. Part of our inheritance as a child of God is that we share in His harvest. Harvest of souls. Harvest of righteousness, wisdom, health and favor.
I talk to many people who do none of these things and then complain that God is not real to them. No weeding (“I can do whatever I want”) no seeding (“I don’t feel like it”) and no feeding (“God doesn’t talk to me, so what is the point?”) His life in you is the only point. Not salvation. Not just buying the field and then letting it lay there dormant and undeveloped. But a field that God has great delight in, great plans to bring forth a harvest.
These dear ones need to ask for one simple thing: that God would plow up their hardened hearts. We need to ask God for a ground that has been softened by the rain of our tears, that has had a rototiller of truth dig deep and turn up the weedy top soil, that has let the warmth of His presence temper and prepare the ground for good seed. So how is your dirt?
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galations 6:9
