Alma 32:40-41 -- On Seeds, Rocks, Fruit, and Happy Endings

"And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.
But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life."
Alma 32:40-41


These verses are part of an analogy that starts in verse 28, where Alma compares the word of God to a seed. I like the idea of the "eye of faith" here. The second verse of the selection helps us to know that it means to look forward, to act in support of our faith, and to believe in the results/fruit of our faith as though it were already real. It reminds me of Christ asking us "For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?" (Luke 14:28). In other words, God is telling us that committment to the Gospel isn't just sticking our toe in the pool, but going all in for the full immersion baptism... not just believing in one principle of the gospel, but also to enduring to the end... not just starting to read the first pages of the book, but believing in and committing ourselves to the the entire work all the way through to the happy ending.

Today, let's remember that planting a seed requires more than tossing it on a countertop and looking at it for a few minutes. We have to believe in what it is, give it nutrients, water, light, and time. We have to commit to seeing it grow, and envision what it could be rather than only seeing what it is and assuming it is just a strange rock. That's what faith is... believing in the possibility and the future of that seed enough to see it sprout within us and then to continue and follow up and help it to flourish with God's help. Let's not give up and see God's word and the gospel as a strange rock, but actually plant it in our hearts and believe that it can become something by nourishing it. As we do, we'll see it sprout and understand that it is all real... but we have to have that faith first, to believe that this is a good book and not just propaganda... to believe that it is a seed and not a rock, and have a willingness to read it/plant it and see it through. Otherwise, we can never taste the fruit or get to that happy ending.