The Seed That Wouldn't Grow.

Note: The following is a Wonderful Story that demonstrates by example the Spirit Of Courage and Honesty. We received "The Seed That Wouldn't Grow." by email and. unfortunately, the author is unknown. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did. 


A successful older business man knew it was time to choose a successor to take over his business. So, he called all the executives in his company together and announced it is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you.

I am going to give each one of you a Seed - one very special Seed. I want you to plant that seed and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from that seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring and the one I choose will be the next CEO.

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. Jim got a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed.

Everyday, Jim would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Six months went by--still nothing in Jim's pot.

But Jim persevered and kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Reluctantly, Jim took his empty pot to the board room and put his empty pot on the floor. Many of his colleagues laughed, a few even felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives.

My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown, said the CEO. Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!

The CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot and called him to the front of the room and asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim and then announced to the young executives, Behold your next Chief Executive! His name is Jim!

How could Jim be the new CEO, the others said?

Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed and bring it back to me today.

But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead – it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers.

When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!"
 
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REMEMBER:

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust; If you plant hard work, you will reap success; So, be careful what you plant now because it will determine what you will reap in the future.

Bill and Teddy Rogers
Prime Life Ministries