Award Winning Crops

Every growing season, farmers across this nation and around the world plant, cultivate and harvest vast quantities of food. Each farmer starts with his best possible seed and uses his best growing techniques to ensure the greatest crop. And every year there are local and state fairs and other exhibitions at which crops are judged, giving one farmer the cherished blue ribbon.
A farmer who was known for his award winning corn was asked the secret of his success year after year. He confided that the most important aspect of his repeatedly excellent crop was sharing some of his seed corn with all the neighboring farmers. The city-bred interviewer seemed quite stunned at this response. He questioned why the farmer would give his competitors some of his best seed. But this farmer well knew a critical secret. As the wind blows and swirls around, the pollen from corn stalks on each farm is picked up and transported to germinate the corn on all of the neighboring farms. The stronger this pollen coming from his neighbors’ crops, the stronger the corn it will produce in his own field. This cross-pollination strengthens or weakens all of the corn in any given area.
As believers, we are very much like these farmers. We can choose to hoard our best efforts and hope that we alone will come out on top. But better yet, we can help each other out so that all become the best possible. Jesus considers this mutually helpful attitude to be extremely important. “I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves].” (John 13:34-35 AMP) Showing love and concern for those around us with tangible actions is to be the identifying mark of His followers. Selfishness has no place.
The apostle Paul also addresses this. “Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves]. Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4 AMP) We must always consider the welfare of others as equal to, or more important than, our own.
In order to produce anything of real value, we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. Unseen, yet powerful, He often moves silently, like the wind. When speaking to Nicodemus about being born again, Jesus said, “The wind blows (breathes) where it wills; and though you hear its sound, yet you neither know where it comes from nor where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8 AMP) And then, after Jesus returned to His Father, the disciples were waiting and praying together, “When suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent tempest blast, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting.” (Acts 2:2 AMP) We can truly experience the wind of the Holy Spirit that blows among the body of Christ. He gives gifts and directs each of us as we support and interact with each other.
The true purpose of the farmer is to grow a crop to be used to feed the hungry. Awards won in a competition are nice, but the true value is to cultivate an abundant, strong product that will provide nourishment for many. As more farmers produce these abundant, nourishing crops there will be more available to feed others. Likewise, the true purpose of a believer is to work together with fellow believers to provide spiritual nourishment to all. As more believers work together, by the power the Holy Spirit and using all He has provided, the more we will see that hurting come to Jesus, the true bread. “Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry.” (John 6:35a AMP)
Working together we will strengthen others and they will strengthen us. “Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11 AMP) We give to and receive from one another.  “Love one another with brotherly affection [as members of one family], giving precedence and showing honor to one another.” (Romans 12:10 AMP)

So do not try to save the best for yourself or do things alone. Work together with others and all will become stronger and more capable of producing much good for the kingdom of God.