Planting Good Seed

This article came to me via of the Internet and with
spring planting season upon us,   thought it was perfect for this months Banner
column. It’s all about seed corn…it seems there was a farmer, who grew
award-winning corn.  Each year he entered his corn in the state fair,
where he won a blue ribbon.  One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him
and learned something interesting about how he grew it.

The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his
neighbors.  “How can you afford to share you best seed corn with your
neighbors, when they are entering corn in the competition with yours each
year?” the reporter asked.

”Why sir,” responded the farmer, “don’t you know?  The wind picks up
pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field.  If my
neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the
quality of my corn.  If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors
grow good corn!”

He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot
improve unless his neighbor’s corn also improves.

So it is in other dimensions.  Those who choose to be at peace must help
their neighbors to be at peace.  Those who choose to live well must help
others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it
touches.  And those who choose to be happy must help others to find
happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.

The lesson for each of us is this:  If we are to grow good corn, we must
help our neighbors grow good corn!  Be agood neighbor, exhort one 
another, and help one another.  Love your neighbor as thyself.  
 Keep planting good seed.  You’ll reap good things.