The Seed

[Denise Bethea]

The SeedA successful Christian business man was growing old and knew it was timeto choose a successor to take over the business.Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided todo something different. He called all the young executives in hiscompany together.He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I havedecided to choose one of you. "The young executives were shocked, butthe boss continued."I am going to give each one of you a SEED today -one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and comeback here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed Ihave given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the oneI choose will be the next CEO"One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, receiveda seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story.She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown.After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talkabout their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim keptchecking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, fiveweeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about theirplants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.Six months went by--still nothing in Jim's pot.He just knew he had killed his seed.Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he hadnothing.Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however.He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil -He so wanted the seed to grow.A year finally went by and all the young executives of the companybrought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife thathe wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honestabout what happened. Jim felt sick at his stomach, it was going to bethe most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife wasright. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he wasamazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They werebeautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floorand many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.Jim just tried to hide in the back."My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said The CEO."Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front.Jim was terrified. He thought,"The CEO knows I'm a failure!Maybe he will have me fired!"When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to hisseed - Jim told him the story.The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, andthen announced to the young executives,"Behold your next Chief Executive!His name is Jim!"Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow hisseed. How could he be the new CEO the others said?Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room aseed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it backto me today.But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possiblefor them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees andplants and flowers.When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted anotherseed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage andhonesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the onewho will be the new Chief Executive!"If you plant honesty, you will reap trustIf you plant goodness, you will reap friendsIf you plant humility, you will reap greatnessIf you plant perseverance, you will reap contentmentIf you plant consideration, you will reap perspectiveIf you plant hard work, you will reap successIf you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliationIf you plant faith in Christ, you will reap a harvestSo, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.