Potato Plants and Church

A few years ago, my father planted his whole garden in potatoes.   He came to this decision after realizing that every meal must have "meat and potatoes".              And since he is one of the healthiest guys I know, who am I to question his theory?

After a short time, dad had the most healthy looking potato plants.  They were knee high and bushy.  To the eye, they were healthy and prospering.

It was pure torture to patiently wait till harvest season to see the fantastic potatoes maturing under the beautiful plants.

"D-Day" (dig'em up day) arrived and we converged with shovels and gunny sacks in hand.  And to our surprise, virtually nothing grew under those monster plants.  Someone suggested we should harvest the greens and use them in salads.  Which was just silly-talk because everyone knows the Moffitt boys wouldn't be caught dead eating salads. When Moffitt boys eat a salad, they put enough dressing-goop on, so it has the texture of Claim Chowder. 

Too often church health is judged by their large bushy green tops.  The question is:  "What is growing under the beautiful bushy green tops at our church?"

Are we growing large healthy fruit that pleases God or are we simply healthy in appearance?

Are we a mile wide and an inch deep in our walk with God or have sunk deep roots into the Presence of God and His Word?

Luke 2:41-52

Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.

When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”

“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they didn’t understand what he meant.

Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.

Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.

Luke 2:41-52