Plants are ingenious things.

They have numerous ways of dispersing their Seeds to grow new plants, methods that go far beyond simply dropping a Seed to the ground from the mother plant above.

Some plants sport wings on their seeds (called samaras) to enable the wind to carry them farther away from the mother tree than regular seeds could go. The maple tree uses this method of seed dispersal: once released from the tree, its seeds spin through the air like helicopters to find a new home.

Other seeds, like that of the milkweed, drift on the wind using their own downy parachutes. Dandelions do the same (much to the chagrin of those trying to maintain a dandelion-free lawn!).

Some seeds come wrapped in tasty packages, like that of the raspberry. Animals or birds eat the berry, then excrete the seed later on (along with some “fertilizer”).

The burdock plant takes another tack: its seeds have sticky hooks that attach to an animal’s fur as it passes by. The seed essentially “hitchhikes” to begin life in another location.

Another intriguing method of seed dispersal is used by the jewelweed plant. Its seed pod “explodes” when touched, flinging the seeds far and wide. It’s no coincidence that jewelweed also goes by the name “touch-me-not.”

I guess we can’t put nature in a box when it comes to seed dispersal. It uses a variety of creative ways to achieve its goal of propagating new plants.

We can’t put limits on God either.

He uses many different ways to plant the seed of the Word of God in people’s hearts.

We shouldn’t presume to know exactly how God is going to reach a certain person or group. Often, God surprises us with the methods He uses to draw someone to Him.

We sometimes think we know the best way to reach someone for the gospel. But God might have other tricks up His sleeve, unusual or creative ways to reveal Himself to people.

We tend to assume that the usual way for someone to come to God is for a friend or relative to witness to them, or for them to hear the gospel preached by a pastor.

Many times, that is indeed the case.

But God isn’t limited to those ways.

Sometimes, He reveals Himself to a person through the beauties of nature. An individual might observe the grandeur of the mountains, the delicacy of flowers, or the infinite vastness of space, and think, “Someone created all this, and I want to know Him.”

Or God might reach someone through events in their lives, such as blessings or hardships. A person may call out to God either in gratitude or in despair. God often uses circumstances to get our attention.

At times, God may draw someone to Himself via a song that they hear, a book that they’ve read, or an inspirational testimony that they’ve watched online or on TV.

God occasionally even comes to people in dreams. There are numerous reports from Muslim nations, where Christian missionary work is curtailed or forbidden, of people having dreams about Jesus, even though they’ve never heard of Him before.

So let’s not think we have all the answers as to how God will touch someone’s heart and make Himself known to them.

Just as plants know various ways to disperse their seed far and wide, God knows how to get the Word out!

© 2022 Lori J. Cartmell. All rights reserved.