Jake, Barb, and
Nate knocked on the back door of the old farm house, hoping their
favorite ‘grandfather’ was home to talk a bit. “Gramps” as he
preferred to be called, wasn’t anybody’s real grandpa, that they
knew of, but he had God’s ears to be sure. He could be fixing the
old tractor, building a new rabbit hutch, picking corn, or anything
else. But it all came to a dead stop when young people would show up
needing someone to just listen.
You
need to know that Gramps is a super listener but is a man of few
words. He uses words like a telegram; very few ones and only
important ones at that. Today this was exactly what the three needed…
This whole youth attendance thing was really sticking in their minds
each day.
When
Gramps’ wife answered the door, she told the three that Gramps was
out beyond the barn someplace. Their best bet would be to go ring the
bell. This was the first time Jake had visited the farm so the barn
bell ringing didn’t make much sense, though he would soon find out.
Barb
led the way to the corner of the barn and stopped. She lifted the old
cow bell off the ledge and rang it like you’d thought her favorite
ball team had just scored a touchdown. In about a minute a man
stepped out from the apple trees in bib overalls and a straw hat that
looked like it had just lost a fight with a cranky cat. Gramps
shouted, “COME ON BACK!” as he waved a welcome to them.
The
three looked at Gramps as they walked toward him and then followed
into the middle of the apple trees that seemed to shut out the world
of sight and sound. They found it rather ironic that in this
communication craze of email, cell phones, beepers, and everything
else, they were instantly put at ease with a silver haired friend
with none of these, but a beat-up straw hat and a log just right for
sittin’ and sortin’ one’s thoughts.
A
wrinkled hand with a good deal of arthritis motioned the three to
take a seat on the log. He then pulled three apples off the nearest
tree. They looked more perfect that the wax fake ones. Gramps pulled
a forth apple down for himself. With the tired fingers of both hands
he split his apple in two halves and took a juicy bite. As his eyes
looked into those of his young visitors’ eyes they said as always,
“It just thrills this old heart when you care enough about me to
visit.” So often we think that silver hair says to young people to
stay away, when the opposite is especially true.
Gramps
still didn’t speak a word but let his gaze reach up into the cool
apple tree branches with promises of homemade applesauce, candy
apples, apple-cinnamon cookies, and apple cobbler hot out of oven,
tasty enough to make you shout. It became crystal clear to Jake that
Gramps could say more with his calm silence than many folks could say
in a book.
Gramps
spoke the first few words, “Ain’t God good to us? Youngin’s,
look around you and tell me one thing that you deserve from God.”
There was more silence. The old gentleman could tell there was
something very heavy on the hearts of the three on the log. He got to
his feet and broke off three small twigs with apple leaves still on
them. He placed one twig in a hand of each of the three youths. He
then broke off a rotted portion of the log they were sitting on. He
then shredded off a small amount of the rotted log piece and placed
some in the other hand of each of the heavy hearted youth.
He
sat down and looked at Jake and then at Barb, and last at Nate. He
told them, “Now look at the rotten log pieces in your one hand.
Take a good look, it’s important. Now look at the twig with the
green leaves in your other hand. This is serious. Do it ‘cuz I
ask.” They did as they were told, but really confused. “Now I
want you each to choose one of the two, twig or trunk and drop the
one you don’t want, to the ground, so you’re still holding your
preference.”
Not
knowing where this was leading, each of the three dropped the
shredded trunk and held onto the green leaves and twig. Gramps
explained that they had just taken a test. They chose life and growth
instead of death. They chose the growing apple twig that produces
fruit for the enjoyment of others rather than the rottenness of
decaying trees full of worms and not good for much of anything.
About
that time Gramps picked up his apple core and picked out a single
seed. He handed the core to his young visitors and gestured them to
pick out a seed also. They did. He then got down on his knees and
stuck a finger in the ground and dropped the little seed in the
finger hole and gently covered the seed with earth. He directed them
to do the same.
While
everyone was still on their knees Gramps spoke out loud, “Precious
God our great provider. Thank you for this good earth you’ve given
us and bodies to enjoy it and praise you. We thank You for the
privilege You’ve given us to humbly plant a small seed that only
You can make grow. Help me and these children be faithful and plant
where and how you want. We trust your wise leading. Amen.”
When
the three helped Gramps to his feet, he noticed the heart-smiles they
now displayed. Before he could ask the three what was on their mind,
they each hugged the old seed planter for speaking to their heart.
Gramps had planted more than apple seeds that day.
As
the three grabbed their bikes to head for home, Nate said, “It
seems to me there are a couple verses in the Bible about where and
how to plant seeds.” Jake said, “I’m gonna see if I can find
the verse about the Mustard seed.” (The verses they found were
Matthew 17:20 and Luke 8:8-15)
Barb
yelled over her shoulder, “Hey this seed plantin’ is gonna be
fun, for sure!” That night before bed, she realized the twig test
Gramps gave proved there is no half way about planting, Either you do
and don’t turn back, or hold onto the rottenness of decay in this
old world. She thought somebody ought to make Gramps a professor. But
I think he felt privileged enough to just be a seed planter of bell
ringers.
