Have you ever seen a tumbleweed roll across the road in front of your car? They look like dry, scraggly balls of brush just tumbling aimlessly, but there’s something surprisingly intentional about them: tumbleweeds spread seeds as they go. As they break off and roll through the wilderness, they scatter seeds far and wide. Some fall in ditches, others in open fields, and some take root and grow. What seems like damage, such as getting hit by a car or caught in a fence, can actually help spread even more seed. The disruption becomes part of the mission.
Tumbleweeds, especially the common Russian thistle, aren’t even native to North America. They were accidentally introduced to the U.S. in the 1870s by Russian immigrants who brought contaminated flax seed to South Dakota. Since then, they’ve spread widely, especially across dry, open regions like the Great Plains. And yes, they’ve even made it to Minnesota. You’ll find them more often in the southwest corner of the state, but they’ve been spotted elsewhere too. Something that wasn’t originally part of the landscape has now become a multiplying force. And that’s the picture I want you to carry today. I want you to be a gospel-spreading tumbleweed. Not a nuisance. Not an annoying weed that no one wants around. But someone who rolls through life intentionally, dropping seeds of truth, hope, and the gospel in every place you go. You may not see all the results, but God does. And if you’re faithful to scatter the seed, He will cause some of it to grow.
Hear a 1 Minute Clip from the audio message “Lives that Produce Summer Fruit“
Planting the Right Seeds
One thing I’ve noticed about spiritual growth is that if you don’t plant the right things in your life, something else will grow instead. Weeds don’t need much encouragement. Neglect your lawn for a few weeks, and the weeds will gladly take over. It’s the same with our lives. If we don’t fill our hearts and schedules with godly pursuits such as Scripture, prayer, worship, and service, other things will move in. Things that aren’t helpful. Things that might even choke out your spiritual growth. That’s why Paul’s message in Colossians 1:6 hits so hard: “The gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.” (NIV) The gospel isn’t meant to sit still. It’s designed to grow. To spread. To change lives. And when the gospel is alive in you, it should naturally overflow from your life into the lives of others.
Fruit Grows Where There’s Root
Years ago, I planted wildflowers in a spot where a tree used to be. I threw down the entire bag of seed in just a few square feet, way more than the instructions recommended. It looked great at first. They sprouted quickly, bloomed beautifully… but when the first storm hit, they all fell over. They had no root. It made me think. A lot of Christians start out strong, but without spiritual roots, they can’t withstand the storms of life. That’s why it’s not enough to just share the gospel. We also need to help people grow in it. As we hand out Bibles, share our stories, and pray for friends, let’s also be ready to disciple. Let’s help people develop roots in Christ so they can grow strong and steady. That’s how lives produce fruit that lasts.
Scatter the Word. Expect God to Work.
At church, we’ve been giving away small Bibles. They’re compact, easy to understand, and full of helpful notes for new believers. Specifically, we’ve been using the How to Find God NLT New Testaments. I’d love it if every person in our church carried one around, maybe in a Ziploc bag to keep it dry and clean, so you’re ready to give it away. Pray for an opportunity. Keep your eyes open. It might be someone at work, a neighbor, or even a stranger at the gas station.
You know people I may never meet. But if you’re intentional, if you’re willing to step out in faith and offer the Word of God to someone in need, you just might change the course of their life. You’re planting seeds of eternity, and that matters. Jesus said in John 15:16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” Fruit doesn’t grow overnight. Sometimes we plant and water for years before we see anything happen. But if you’re obedient, and if you stay connected to Jesus, fruit will come.
Don’t Try to Manufacture Growth
A fruit tree doesn’t struggle or strive to grow fruit. It just stays rooted and nourished. That’s how it works with spiritual fruit too. We don’t have to manufacture it by effort. We grow when we stay connected to Jesus. It’s His Spirit that produces the fruit in us: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22–23). Trying to become more like Jesus in our own strength just leads to frustration. We say, “Thanks for saving me, Lord, I’ll take it from here,” but that’s never how it was supposed to work. Sanctification is a work of grace, just like salvation. Stay rooted in Christ, and the fruit will grow.
Be Patient and Be Ready
Some seeds take time. A lot of time. Bamboo, for instance, may show no visible growth for years, but once it takes off, it can grow feet in just a few weeks. That’s a great reminder: just because you don’t see immediate results doesn’t mean God isn’t working. Keep praying. Keep planting. Keep loving. Stay patient. But also be ready. What if someone you’ve been praying for comes to Christ tomorrow? Are you ready to help them grow? Can you walk them through the basics of faith? Would you be able to disciple them? That’s why I’ve been working on simple tools and resources we can all use, starting with that little Bible. Inside it are helpful notes on how to grow in Christ and how to live a Christian life. It’s a great start.
This summer, let it be a time to plant. Let it be a time to grow. Let it be a time to scatter seed. Remember the words of Ecclesiastes 3:1-2: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to plant and a time to uproot…” So, be the tumbleweed. Roll through your daily life with gospel intention. Leave a trail of seeds behind you, seeds of God’s Word. And trust God to do what only He can do: make it grow.