“[Jesus said,] Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain, but if it dies it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).
A big fall tradition for my family was what many people call “leaf peeping.” It can be depressing to think about how short-lived the fall colors are, and how the leaves fall to their deaths right afterwards. But these fallen leaves continue to have an important purpose to fulfill. After they fall to the ground, decomposing leaves offer nutrients to the soil, stopping the growth of weeds and aiding in plant growth.
Jesus uses the similar example of a grain of wheat; in order to bear fruit, it must go through the death process to bring new life.
We, too, experience death and resurrection on a regular basis; “little deaths” that can lead to new life later. Any change in life can be our leaves or grain: graduation, changing jobs, retirement, saying goodbye to a loved one, or relocating. Whenever we experience a “little death” in our lives, we can remember that resurrection and new life is right around the corner.
This message is excerpted from “Leaves” by Becca Ehrlich from the October 27, 2022, blog of the Women of the ELCA.
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