What are we...?

In talking with people about my last few blog posts an interesting question has come up that I thought I would address. I was asked if I think that my analogy of spiritual growth to natural growth was true for everybody. The question was since we are all not the same, then how can this analogy apply to everyone?

This was my response:

I agree that we are all not the same, but regardless, we all grow the same. The apple tree, the grapevine, and the rose garden are all very different in nature, but they all use the same three elements to grow: sun, water, and soil. Likewise we all may be different, but not that different. We are all God's creation, made in His image, put on this earth to multiply and subdue it. (Gen 1:28) If we have called on Christ for salvation, we are all members of one body. (Rom 12:5)

BUT

I think we are missing one big point here... and that is that the seed of faith that is planted in each of us is not FROM us. We are not growing more of us (cause that would be weird). We are growing the seed of faith. Jesus, in Matt 13:3-38, gave several organic growth parables. There are different kinds of soil, but only one seed and one sower. We are merely the soil that the seed is sown into, not the seed itself. We are not responsible for the growth. We can't control the growth.

If the:

The seed is the Word of God...
The sower is Jesus Christ...
The field is the world...

...then the crop is faith in Jesus Christ. Our responsibility is not to be the seed, the sower or the field, those have been given to us. Our responsibility is to grow in faith, and like any other plant that exists, we must multiply when we mature.

- Just a thought.