HAVE you any seeds of kindness for sale?” a little boy asked at a seed store. “Seeds of kindness — what are those?” said the man.
“Why in our Sunday school we sing:
‘Then scatter seeds of kindness,
For our reaping by and by.’
I have a little garden, and I want to plant some kindness seeds.”
“O, those come in a mixed package.” said the man as he took a big book from a shelf.
“That looks like a Bible,” the little boy thought. And, sure enough, it was.
“Let me see. I think I will find that package of seeds in 2 Peter 1:55And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; (2 Peter 1:5),” said the man. “Yes, there it is; see if you can read it for me, beginning with the fifth verse.”
So the boy read: “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.”
“Eight kinds of seeds in this package, you see,” said the man.
“But aren’t there any real seeds?” said the boy. “Does it just mean that you are to be kind to people?”
“Yes, that is what it means,” said the man. “But kindness and love and faith are real things; and if you plant them in your heart, they will live and grow just as seeds grow in the garden.”
“What is the reaping by-and-by?” said the boy.
“It means that if you are kind, people will be kind to you,” said the seedman; “and, better than all, it means that God, who is kind to the unthankful and evil, will be pleased with you.”
“I shall find that package of mixed seeds in my Bible when I get home,” said the boy, “and it may help me to remember to be kind all the time.”
ML 09/09/1917