Recently, we ate some apples at home. After my younger daughter finished eating hers, she picked up what she identified as the apple seed. Excitedly, she came to show me, stating that she would go plant the seed. I gently told her, “This is imported apple, you cannot grow it everywhere.” In disappointment, she asked me why. I gave her an explanation, but I also got a revelation; you cannot grow everywhere.
Friend, your life is a seed. It requires the right environment to grow properly (Romans 4:16, 11:1). You cannot grow everywhere. The frustration of so many people today stems from being planted in the wrong place. I know a lot has been said about the power of seeds. But very little has been said about the power of the environment (Genesis 26:1-14). The truth is, the right seed in the wrong soil can never produce the right harvest.
Samuel was placed in the temple, and a mighty prophet came out of him (1 Samuel 3:1-20). What if he was placed in a shrine? He would have turned out as a messenger of Satan. Where are you planted, and what are you receiving from the place? For some people, churching wrongly is the bane of their spiritual growth and all-round development. God still sets the solitary in families. Let God plant you in the right local church (Psalms 68:6, 92:13).
You cannot grow everywhere. You cannot continue to listen to voices of negativity and hope to live positively. You cannot continue to stay where mediocrity reigns and expects to turn out excellently (Psalms 1:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:33). Whereas at some points in your life, you cannot choose your environment, but as you grow, you need to intentionally locate yourself in the right environment.
You have got the seed of greatness inside you. What you need is the right exposure. We are all products of our exposures. Timothy was rightly exposed, and a great bishop came out of him (Acts 16:1-5, 2 Timothy 1:5). For parents, one of the greatest help you can give your children is to intentionally create the right environment for their total growth and development. Don’t leave it to chance (Psalms 127:3-5, 2 Timothy 3:15).
In sowing financial seeds, let God lead you to the right soil. You should not give emotionally. Let God choose your seed ground for you (Deuteronomy 12:11). While some people have sowed their way into prosperity, others have sowed into bankruptcy. You should not give to a ground that God has not ordained for you. Whoever gave to the prodigal son in Luke 15 might have pitched himself against God (Luke 15:16-19). Like the young lad in John 6, who you give your five loaves of bread and two fish to matters (John 6:8-13). You cannot grow everywhere.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria