The Plant Seed
To understand growth you have to understand seeds. When you plant a seed in an environment that has water, air, and sunlight, the seed germinates. When the plant receives the right nutrients such as Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Magnesium, Sulfur, and Calcium it grows. While the plant is growing there might be need to prune it to maintain health (cutting off dead or infected parts), control growth, or shape the plant. Once the plant is fully grown, it bears fruit. Most of the tasks involved in plant care are carried out by a farmer (someone else not the plant itself).
Although seeds have different sizes and color, they have one thing in common, and that is they all have the potential to grow and bear fruit. When you plant a millet seed (small) and a mango seed (big), they each will grow. Growth is not reserved for only big seeds, neither is growth reserved for only brown seeds.
The Human Seed
You are a seed also. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”— Genesis 1:28. God could not have demanded for fruit from us if he had not given us seed. We are seeds that have a mandate to grow into our purpose/calling. Accordingly, realizing our life’s purpose or calling is bearing fruit. Children, a car, a house, a business, phones, computers, and furniture are examples of human fruits.
Similarities between the plant seed and the human seed
Just like with plants, it does not matter whether you have little or much; whether you are black or white; in Africa or in Europe, you have the potential to grow and bear fruit. Growth is not only reserved for the white race (seed with different color) or the people who have much (big seed).
Similar to plant seeds, you need to be planted in the right environment, consume the right nutrients, prune yourself, and bear fruit.
They both don’t eat their own fruits, other people eat it. Greatness is hidden in serving others, and not serving oneself. The more people you serve the greater you become.
Differences between the plant seed and the human seed
| Plant Seed | Human Seed |
| A farmer plants it in the right environment. | You identify the right environment and plant yourself there. For instance, you have to choose your friends. |
| The soil feeds it the right nutrients. | You have to feed yourself the right nutrients. For instance, no one will force you to read the right books or watch the right movies. |
| A farmer prunes it. | You have to prune yourself. For instance, no one will change your bad habits for you. |
| Grows to its maximum height. | You have to choose how high you grow. You are as successful as you choose. |
Unlike plant seeds that are planted by a farmer (someone else), we are self-planting and self-caring seeds. If you do not plant yourself and care for yourself, no else will. Not even God. For instance, God will show you the right path, however, he will not drag you and force you to walk the right path. Many people are stuck in life and are hoping that someone else will come and make them change their lives. The truth is that no one will: not your best friend, not your parent, not your pastor, not your spouse. Can you change a drunkard? You can influence him to change but you cannot force him to change.
The growth attitude
- Do not be obstructed by lack, color, height, tribe, background, and race; you have the potential to grow. Focus your energy on growth. If you have 50K Ugx, invest it in a small business and focus on growing it. Don’t wait for 10 million. Start with the little you have and grow it. Small seeds have potential to grow just like big ones.
- Do not sit back and expect someone to come and change your life. Workout your own growth and change. You may seek advice but in the end it is you to take action not your advisor. He or she cannot act on your behalf.
Principles of growth
Take initiative: Growth is not automatic. Intentionally decide to grow and take action.
Environment: Plant yourself in the right environment. Surround yourself with people who support your call and can help you to get where you are going.
Clarity of vision: You have to see the fruit even while you are still a seed. Fruits attract and cause people to do whatever it takes to pick and eat them. Similarly, when your vision for the future is very clear, it attracts you and causes you to pay the price to reach it. You have to become an artist of your future.
Nutrients: Identify and constantly consume the required nutrients. Read books, watch movies, listen to music, attend seminars, and attend fellowships that can take you to your vision. For instance if teaching is your call, read books & watch movies about teaching. Without feeding your vision, it will never grow.
Pain: When we stretch to grow it takes us out of our comfort zones. Secondly, pruning ourselves is painful. We suffer pain when we cut off bad habits that are pleasurable but not good for our vision. We on other occasions suffer the pain of losing friends when they become obstacles to our vision.
Service and greatness: No fruit eats itself but it is eaten by others. We bear fruit for the benefit of others. We must serve our gifts to other people. And it is in serving others that we become great and wealthy. The more people we serve the greater and wealthier we become. Jim Rohn once said, “If you want to have more, you have to become more.”
Global impact: A seed in truth is not just a seed but a forest. You seem small but all human beings in the world need your gift. So you have to grow to meet this demand.
Time: Growth does not happen instantly. It takes time. For example, you could start up a business and it takes 5 years before breaking even. They say if you stay with your vision long enough, you will finally get it. They also say read until your skills change.
By Felix John Opio