How to Share 3 Principles of Sowing with Your Grandchildren

In the movie Secondhand Lions, Uncle Hub, Uncle Garth, and Walter plant a garden. Peas, beans, squash, tomatoes. 

At least, that’s what they thought they were planting. 

Reality reared its ugly head weeks later when they discovered everything was corn. All summer, nothing but corn. One golden cob after another. 

The principles of sowing and reaping flow through Scripture. Let’s examine three of them. 

Sowing Principle #1 We reap what we sow. 

Think of each grandchild as a garden. What do we want to grow? 

Better question, what do they want to grow? 

Because what lands in the garden is going to sprout. 

Galatians 6:7-8 says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” 

This spring, let’s talk to our grandchildren about intentional planting. 

Let’s start with prayer. The Holy Spirit will guide us both. This fruit of the Spirit is His gig, so doesn’t it make sense to work with Him? So, as each of us prays, we also listen. Talk to Mom and Dad too and see what crop they would like to see come harvest time. 

Once we’ve identified what seeds need planting, let’s model that behavior. It helps to see something walked out in real time. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness. Let’s show them.

 Then, practice it. Together. 

Next, let’s catch them doing it. Call it out. Celebrate it, and reward that behavior. 

Sowing Principle #2 We reap in proportion to how much we sow. 

2 Corinthians 9:6 says, “Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 

Some kids may want to start small and then go big after they see some results. Let’s celebrate early wins, then challenge them to step it up.

Different plants grow at different rates. Squash grows faster than oak trees. 

Spiritual crops are no different. Still, all crops require nurture and care. Let’s check in regularly and see how the growing is going. We can also share our own spiritual crops and any challenges we have faced. 

Sowing Principle #3 For a plant to grow, a seed must die.

Something must die. 

John 12:24 reads, “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” 

That hard, tough shell of a seed breaks.

But from it, new life sprouts. 

Tip: This is a great time for the lima bean experiment. Tuck some lima beans into a damp paper towel and place in a warm, dark place.  Sprouts will appear within the week.

Now, let’s think in spiritual terms.

To sow patience, impatience, selfishness, or our own agendas must die.

To sow generosity, we have to give something up.

To sow love, indifference must die.

And this is good.

What needs to die?

Let’s pray: Father, Your principles of sowing and reaping hold true. Help us to guide our grandchildren to plant bumper crops of virtues while cultivating a close relationship with You, as we do the same. In Jesus’s name. Amen. 

Sowing and reaping.

We reap what we sow.

We reap in proportion to what we sow.

And something must die.

The principles hold true no matter what we plant, so let’s help our grandchildren sow with purpose. 

Help them plant a crop they want to harvest. 

Next week’s post: How to Honor Your Grandchildren’s Parents.