169 of 365 - Buried to Grow

​And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. Mark 4:26
 
There are many ways to receive the Word, but only one bears fruit. The messy, dirty, broken up soil that gladly receives the seed of truth.
 
A seed, securely packed beneath the ground, begins to find comfort. It takes root, the tough shell breaking open as new life slowly emerges. All the hard work underground, in the dirt. Branching out, digging in, absorbing life-giving water. Long, tedious, unseen, messy work. 
 
Then one day, it breaks through the surface. Nothing much to look at some might say, but it’s the start of something beautiful. It craves the light from above, reaching always toward it.
 
Day and night. Day and night. The Creator is doing His thing on the willing creation. Slow and steady. Work underground, branching out, soaking in the living water. Slow and steady. Work above the surface, taking in the light, becoming sturdier, even blooming.
 
The growing never ends. The feeding on the water and sunlight never ends. But something changes. The once small seed becomes a source of comfort for others. Birds build nests and rest on its branches. Children pick from the overflowing fruit it is bearing. Couples sit under its shady limbs.
 
The seed doesn’t desire to go back underground. Once out, the transformed seed never wants to leave the sun. This, Jesus says, is the Kingdom of Heaven.
 
We grow and we glow, all fueled by the living water and source of all light. It is slow and it is messy and underground root-building at times. But it is also hands reaching high out in the open; new life shining to illuminate the path of truth, always radiating light from the Source, while simultaneously pointing others there. 
 
Question: How does our growth in Jesus compare to a seed/plant/tree?