Pollen Now, God’s Fruit Within Us

Snort! Snuff! Uck! Are you creating these sounds thanks to the pollen about us? Yet, despite what could be sinus freedom, consider what the world would be like if we did not have it. Sounds crazy, and yet, for the shade that the trees provide, and the beauty of the flowers is not the aggravation of sinus congestion something we can come to appreciate a little more?

In the Gospel of John, just after Jesus enters Jerusalem, he has a conversation about what is to come.
           “23 Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor” (12)

At this point, Jesus has already been teaching his disciples what it is come: his arrest, trial, sufferings, death, and resurrection. What we must remember is that while we know the story, the disciples don’t. Perhaps like the pollen to us, the disciples are not fully aware despite being told what is to come! Jesus even stresses this when he describes the glorification of the Son of Man as ‘a grain of wheat (that) falls into the earth and dies… remain(ing) just a single grain; but if it dies, it (will) bear much fruit.’

At this point in the spring season we have not yet fully realized what the pollen will bring. And we have forgotten what it will mean for the ‘fruits’ to come. As we approach the end of Lent, perhaps we can reflect on the plantings/pollinating that God has been using us to bring about fruits of new life in our personal lives, in our congregation, and in our community beyond our property. As we look to the future, especially since we know the resurrection/new life is coming, should we not be wondering what those fruits will be?

Those fruits could be the Spirit weaving others into our community? Or perhaps the fruit could be a willingness to be more active in an area you haven’t participated much in before like joining the choir, Sunday School classes, or developing a relationship with our newer members? Or perhaps the fruit to come will be serving in church leadership? At some point we know the pollen will end, and what they will produce is possibility of new life! What will we allow God grow within us?

Let us have the faith, O God to trust that what has been planted and seems to have died is destined for life and the bearing of much fruit! Amen.