the buried life.

““Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.” 
– John‬ ‭12:24-25‬ ‭MSG

“you can’t live the resurrection, if you avoid the grave”
– sam mccabe

Energy is a universal constant and a concept in physics that makes up the animating force of our reality; literally it’s the ability to do work. It is the quantitative property allowing the universe to live, move and breathe and while it changes forms, it is always preserved, meaning there is no addition or subtraction of energy in our universe. Energy can be stored in the tiniest, most overlooked objects. Everything around us is filled with potential energy. Things we deem insignificant or realistically invisible. Potential energy is the energy held by an object because of its position relative to other objects, stresses within itself, its electric charge, or other factors. Potential energy is essentially energy unrealized. For it to be expressed, it must move from potential to kinetic. 

What’s beautiful about potential energy is the kinetic energy it will produce is in pure relation to factors around it. Most of the time we think that the larger the item, the higher the subsequent kinetic energy but that is not always the case. The amount of energy stored in one singular atom, our universe’s invisible and incalculable building block, is enough to destroy a city (like the atomic bombs to end WW2). Likewise, there’s enough energy stored in an atom, when diverted or utilized properly to power cities, streetlights, hospitals, schools, houses and cars.

A grain of wheat, a seed, is insignificant. It’s small and harnesses little to no nourishment in itself. You can mill or crush one single grain and the amount of flour produced is not even enough to bake a cracker.

Burying that seed, in the right conditions however, will multiply its potential or more accurately, be fully realized. While there are calculations and estimations to be made when a seed is properly grounded there can be no limit to its growth, given the right conditions.

There’s a lesson to be learned in properly utilizing what’s been given to us, but there’s also something to be learned in what happens when a seed is buried. The conditions a seed is buried in can be tended to and controlled to a certain extent, but the fact remains; a seed will not grow unless it is buried first. There’s an end to the seeds’ existence for the sake of something far more. A seed is the crowning achievement (of which there are many hopefully) of a singular plant showing life and vitality by creating fruit and at the heart of that fruit is a seed. It cannot be further developed beyond that fruit and that fruit should be celebrated. Hidden in the heart of every fruit is the ability to unlock so much more, but the seed’s entire existence must commit to shifting beyond seeing itself as the crowning achievement. The fruit, although nourishment for others, is truly a vehicle to reproduce more.

What would it look like if we took our lives (what we knew, what we’ve done, what we hope and who we are) and gave it the proper perspective? We are but a seed with endless generations of beauty, work, and love stored in our tiny and finite husks. Even at our best, we alone can give very little to the stream of humanity. To unlock what has been innately and eternally stored inside of us, the mystery and creation of Heaven, we must willingly be buried. The fruit we produce is meant to inspire and nurture so many more.

We must die to ourselves. 

We must be changed.

We must give ourselves away.

We must understand that the vehicle to create something meaningful, helpful, and long-lasting is found in our lives laid down for the sake of the potential energy given to us. Growth is not limited to singular fruitfulness, but opportunity and ability for others to flourish as well.

For a seed to grow into something steadfast, fruitful and strong is a worthy pursuit, yet short-sighted.

May we be seeds who long to see our lives be absorbed into the ground to create forests flourishing with beauty and life forever.