Daniel pushed open the front door and let out a weary sigh.

              Jenna glanced up from her phone. “What’s wrong, Dad?”

              Daniel joined her on the sofa. “I was visiting Mrs. Roberts. She’s discouraged. She’s worried about dying without having done enough for God.”

              Jenna’s eyebrows shot up. “Mrs. Roberts? Are you serious? She was the best Sunday school teacher. We all loved her. She made the Bible stories come to life. How can she think she hasn’t done enough?”

              Daniel shrugged. “I’m not sure. I explained to her that all God wants is a willing heart, and it’s not about how much we do for Him, but nothing seems to be getting through. Maybe I should ask her if she wants to teach Sunday school again.”

              Jenna tapped her finger against her lip. “No, I think I have a better idea. I’m getting together with friends tomorrow night while we’re home on break. Most of us who grew up in that church are still close, even though we’ve moved in different directions since graduating. But we all loved Mrs. Roberts.” She sat up straighter. “Let me get in touch with a few people. I have a plan.”

              Daniel’s heart filled with love. His precious daughter had such a caring heart. “I can’t wait to hear what comes of it.”

              The following evening after dinner, Daniel sat by the fireplace with Sonya. “I’m not sure what Jenna had planned for tonight, but I think she and her friends are visiting Mrs. Roberts.”

              Sonya pressed a hand to her chest. “That’s wonderful. How is she feeling by now?”

              Daniel frowned. “When I visited her yesterday, it was as if all the joy had left her. It was pretty disheartening, to be honest. That woman always had a lively spirit, and seeing her so down on herself hurt my soul.”

              Sonya patted her husband’s hand. “We’ll just have to keep praying for her.”

              A few minutes later, the front door opened and laughter filled the front hallway. The voices drew nearer, and Jenna and three of her friends entered the room. Daniel and Sonya rose.

              “Hey Mom and Dad, you remember John, Maya, and Rick.”

              “Hi, Pastor Daniel.”

              Daniel shook hands with Jenna’s friends, while Sonya wrapped each of them in a hug. Soon, Daniel and Sonya settled onto the loveseat while the kids took seats around the room. Daniel leaned forward. “Tell me about your evening. Did you visit Mrs. Roberts after dinner?”

              Jenna’s eyes sparkled. “We did better than that. First, we went to Maya’s place and made cookies. Then we got take-out and took it all over to Mrs. Robert’s house. We all had dinner together and shared the cookies for dessert.”

              Rick grinned. “It was so much fun. I hadn’t seen her in so long. She’s still that same amazing, joy-filled woman.”

              Daniel blinked. “She didn’t seem sad to you?”

              Maya shook her head. “Oh, no. Maybe a little at first, but once she got over the shock of seeing us all, she asked us a million questions.”

              John nodded. “Yeah, when I told her she inspired me to go to Bible college, she got a little teary, but I think it was happy tears. She was the first Sunday school teacher who really connected the Bible to real life for me. She always answered my questions. Even the really hard ones. I told her I wanted to make a difference for people the way she did for me.”

              Maya leaned forward in her chair. “I told her I’m an education major for the same reason. I want to teach middle school kids, too. It’s such a tough age, but Mrs. Roberts was such an amazing example.”

              Rick crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair. “And I told her about the mission trip I went on over spring break last year. She always taught us to spread the gospel. It was such an amazing experience.”

              Jenna beamed at Daniel and Sophia. “She was really excited to hear about the Bible study I started in my dorm. We had two new girls join this past semester.” She stood. “Anyway, we’re going to go play games in the basement, if that’s ok.”

              Sonya lifted a hand. “Of course. Go enjoy your friends. Thanks for sharing about your evening.”
              Jenna and her friends filed out of the room, but Jenna stopped. “Oh, Dad. I almost forgot. Mrs. Roberts told me to tell you she found her seeds, whatever that means.”

              Warmth flooded Daniel and he silently thanked God. He glanced up to find Sonya studying him. “Whatever did that mean?”

              Daniel chuckled. “I told Mrs. Roberts she’d been sowing seeds her entire life. Tonight she found out what happened to four of them. By investing in the lives of all those middle-schoolers, she was planting seeds for God to grow. Those awkward pre-teens are turning into young adults on fire for God – becoming pastors, teachers, missionaries, and evangelists who are bringing more souls to the kingdom. I think dear Mrs. Roberts is getting a chance this side of heaven to see how much she’s been able to do for God.”

1 Corinthians 3:4-9

 For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.  So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor.  For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

God, our salvation is sure whether or not we do great things for You. But nothing we do for You is too small. You can take even our tiniest offerings and multiply them. Help us seize every opportunity You give us to love others in Your name. And help us remember to thank those who have invested in our lives. If we have teachers, pastors, and mentors who have touched our lives, encourage us to reach out to them and thank them for the seeds they sowed in our lives. Thank You for their investment in us. And encourage us to invest in other people’s lives so they can bear fruit as well. In Jesus’ name, Amen.