JUST A SINGLE GRAIN

We’d soon be leaving from Haryana after 8+ years of ministry with UESI. So, it’s reminiscence time! My mind recollects a lot of events. Soon we’d be missing this place and its people. But wait a minute did I ever tell you I’ll miss out the Parathas[1] here. Now if parathas taste better here than anywhere else, it’s because of the taste of the Wheat!  Punjab & Haryana for that matter produces the best wheat grain.

This golden brown grain shines best only in this part of the country. So 8 years ago I collected a few stalks of this grain right from the field, dried it and these rather proud and tall stalks shares a rather prominent place in our showcase! These few stalks would serve me a memory of those mouth watering Parathas I savored. Except for some cobwebs (our ineptitude) those stalks are as healthy since I got it from the field … and I believe it would remain so for years to come. I would always show my friends these stalks and would also pride in this collection!

Yet last week a rather strange thing happened. Two young graduates had come home. We had good time sharing from Gods word  where I reflected on the need to die to our self in case this land would need to hear Gods word. Suddenly a small whisper seemed to say ‘yes just like those tall and proud stalks; haven’t they been remaining to themselves all these years’. This thought troubled me and then set my mind into a rolling. After all what would these few stalks have given had they fallen on good soil? Rather insignificant. Did I hold back anything, after all its just a few grains? The Lords voice, I presume :-) drove me crazy and set the little mathematical genius in me working!

In case I dropped one grain to the ground it would produce 70 more in one year (This part of India gives almost 100 and we’ll restrict to one harvest a year-well the land needs rest after all).The second year 70 grains would harvest 4900grains (70X70). Sounds crazy –sorry just bear with me until…. . The third year will give me 343000 grains (4900X70). The 4^th year the produce is 24010000 grains which is equivalent to 100Kgs[2]. The 5^th year, a little staggering I should say, the yield would be 7000kg (100kgX70) and that’s 7Tons (1Ton=1000kg). The 6^th year should produce 490Tons, the 7^th year 34,300 Tons. Now let me stop at the 8^th year its 24, 01,000 Tons!!!The mathematical genius in me is almost slipped into a coma now, but isn’t this true.

 These many tons of grain would have easily taken care of my expenses for the last 8 years and by the way wiped out all the deficits of UESI, we could have finished all those building projects, Parathas for my life time and fed many more with just a single grain!

 Just like that single grain, I wonder what might be the significance my one life wholly devoted to the Lord would do for His KINGDOM. As we die to our self I can just fathom through the lives of people like William Wilberforce, Sadhu Sunder Singh, William Carey… but then what about those life grains of whom I may never know on this side of eternity. But I can definitely realise it in Jesus Christ who gave his ‘One life’ and what it meant for humanity. So may be I would see a fraction of that in my life provided…I die, otherwise I remain to myself.

 The whisper echoed:  “I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”[3]

 

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[1] (A paratha (or parantha) is a flatbread that originated in the subcontinent  It is made with whole-wheat flour, pan fried in ghee or cooking oil, and sometimes stuffed with vegetables, such as boiled potatoes, radishes or cauliflower and/or paneer- Ref: wikipedia.).

 

[2] English Weights and Measures: http://home.clara.net/brianp/weights.html

 

[3] Jn12:24-26