"Why are you throwing away those nice potatoes, Grandpa?" asked my young grandson. I was planting potatoes in my garden, and he thought it was a waste to bury them. So I had an opportunity to explain to him that only as we give the seed away can we receive the harvest.

A few days later, my grandson was in the garden again, looking at the ground. He complained, "Grandpa, they're not coming up." So I spoke to him about patience.

We too can become impatient when our service for the Lord doesn't appear to bear fruit. Sometimes we may feel like giving up because we do not see immediate results.

A dying soldier asked a chaplain to write to his former Sunday school teacher: "Tell her that I'm a Christian because of what she taught me in Sunday school." He sent the message and received the following reply: "Last month I resigned my Sunday school class, for I felt my teaching had been fruitless. And then came the message from my former pupil. May God forgive me for my impatience and lack of faith. I will ask my pastor to let me teach again, and I promise by God's grace not to quit."

Let's faithfully serve the Lord—depending on His power and strength—and leave the results to Him.  — M.R. De Haan