The Parable of the Old Corn Grower

There was a farmer who grew excellent quality corn. Every year, he won awards for his corn.

One year, a reporter interviewed him to learn how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.

“How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.

“Why sir,” said the farmer, “Didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”

So it is with our lives...those who want to live meaningfully and well must help enrich the lives of others, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. Jesus actually took this to another level, going so far as to say the ways we served the poor, the imprisoned, the 'least of these' is how we've served Him.

It's an incredible joy to be part of work that leads to mutual, all-around flourishing for yourself and your neighbors. Thanks to all of you who've donated, invested, or volunteered to make that kind of work possible. Thank you for rejecting the idea that life has to be zero sum, where everything is either win-lose and we constantly have to work to 'win' and 'beat' others to resources.

No, in Christ we've already won, and our work is for the Kingdom flourishing of all we meet. Amen.