rayofsunshine's Journal

THE SEED
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>A  successful Christian business man was growing old and knew it was time
>to  choose a successor to take over the business.
>
>Instead of choosing one of  his directors or his children, he decided to
>do something different. He  called all the young executives in his
>company together.
>
>He said, "It  is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have
>decided to choose  one of you. "The young executives were shocked, but
>the boss continued."I am  going to give each one of you a SEED today -
>one very special SEED. I want  you to plant the seed, water it, and come
>back here one year from today with  what you have grown from the seed I
>have given you. I will then judge the  plants that you bring, and the one
>I choose will be the next CEO"
>
>One  man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received
>a seed.  He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story.
>
>She helped him get a  pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.
>Everyday, he would water it  and watch to see if it had grown.
>After about three weeks, some of the other  executives began to talk
>about their seeds and the plants that were beginning  to grow. Jim kept
>checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four  weeks, five
>weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about  their
>plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.
>Six  months went by--still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had
>killed his  seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had
>nothing. Jim didn't  say anything to his colleagues, however. He just
>kept watering and  fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.
>
>A year finally went  by and all the young executives of the company
>brought their plants to the  CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that
>he wasn't going to take an empty  pot. But she asked him to be honest
>about what happened. Jim felt sick at his  stomach, it was going to be
>the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he  knew his wife was
>right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim  arrived, he was
>amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other  executives. They were
>beautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty  pot on the floor
>and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for  him!
>
>When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his  young
>executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great  plants,
>trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you  will
>be appointed the next CEO!" All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at  the
>back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial  director
>to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO  knows
>I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
>
>When Jim got to the  front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his
>seed - Jim told him the  story
>
>The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim,  and
>then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief  Executive!
>
>His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even  grow his
>seed. How could he be the new CEO the others said?
>
>Then the  CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a
>seed. I told  you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back
>to me  today.
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>But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not  possible
>for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees  and
>plants and flowers.
>
>When you found that the seed would not grow,  you substituted another
>seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one  with the courage and
>honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore,  he is the one
>who will be the new Chief Executive!"
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>Þ If you  plant honesty, you will reap trust
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>Þ If you plant goodness, you will reap  friends
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>Þ If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
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>Þ If you  plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
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>Þ If you plant  consideration, you will reap perspective
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>Þ If you plant hard work, you  will reap success
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>Þ If you plant forgiveness, you will reap  reconciliation
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>Þ If you plant faith in Christ, you will reap a  harvest
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>So, be careful what  you plant now;
>it will determine  what you will reap later!!!