Every gardener knows, all you can do is plant the seed, water and fertilize the seed, and keep the weeds from chocking the seed out - but you can't make it grow. That's God's domain. Sometimes we need to remember that fact when we are trying to plant the "seed of the kingdom" in our friends and families hearts. There's a lot we can do to make it easier for them to accept that seed. Through a Godly attitude and the kind acts and disposition of the Fruit of the Spirit we can work the soil of their hearts. By taking advantage of opportunities to encourage those who are searching we can water the seed that's been planted. And when we show up to help in difficult times we can work to help minimize the weeds that are choking their hearts and keeping the seed of God's word from Growing. But we can't make it grow, and can't make anyone respond.

Often, over the years, I've heard people talk about how they approached someone with the gospel, but when they didn't respond in the way that the "planter" may have likes, they wrote them off as a waste of time or "infertile soil." Maybe we should take a lesson from real farmers. Truth is you only have so much land to work, and it's your job to make the most of it. When you have a bad patch or ground, you don't just write it off you start working it, maybe even harder than you work the rest of you land, knowing, that with enough effort the seed will eventually take root - but even at that point, it's still up to God to give the increase.