The Marigold Mandate: Harvesting Seeds, Winning Souls

🫢🤩Today I collected seeds from these marigolds pictured here, that had bloomed out and could have ended up in the compost if I didn’t understand the value of seed collection. What a beautiful surprise to look at the HUGE pile of marigold seeds I harvested from just the first plant! Gardening is one of the most frequent themes Jesus used in His parables because it perfectly illustrates the patience, labor, and massive "return on investment" found in the Kingdom of God.

I chose the marigold as my example today because it is particularly powerful—it’s not just a pretty flower; it’s a worker in the garden, much like a believer is called to be a worker in the world.

In the world of gardening, the marigold is known as the "Garden Guardian." It doesn't just sit there looking beautiful; it protects. It emits a scent that repels pests and produces a substance in its roots that kills harmful nematodes in the soil.

As Christians, we are called to be the "salt of the earth"—a preservative and a protector against the decay of the world. But the true power of the marigold isn’t just in its protection; it’s in its proliferation.

The Math of Multiplication

If you look at a single spent marigold head, it looks like a dried-up little paintbrush. But when you pull it apart, you find a miracle of math.

The Yield: A single marigold flower can produce anywhere from 60 to 150 seeds.

The Potential: If one plant produces 10 flowers, that’s up to 1,500 seeds from a single source in one season.

The Reality: If those seeds are never collected, many will fall into the cracks, be eaten by birds, or rot in the winter dampness. The harvest is lost not because the seeds weren't there, but because they weren't gathered.

"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." (Matthew 9:37-38)

Collecting the "Soul-Seeds"

Winning souls is the "seed collection" of the Kingdom. If we aren't intentional about outreach, the "seeds" (the people around us) remain dormant or lost.

Intentionality: You have to look for the spent blooms. In life, this means looking for people who are "ripe"—those who are hurting, searching, or ready for a change.

Preparation: Marigold seeds must be dried and stored to be planted in the next season. We must disciple those we reach so they are ready to be "planted" in their own circles of influence.

Purpose: Marigolds are edible and medicinal. Like the Body of Christ, we aren't just for show; we are meant to bring healing and nourishment to a hungry world.

Building the Kingdom for His Return

We are living in the "growing season" before the Great Harvest. The Apostle Paul reminds us in Proverbs 11:30: "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise."

If we don't collect the seeds, the garden eventually thins out. If we don't win souls, we aren't fulfilling the Great Commission. Every soul won is another "seed" that has the potential to produce 1,500 more. This is how we build the Kingdom to prepare for Christ’s return—through exponential, sacrificial multiplication.

Reflection for the Reader

Next time you walk through a garden and see a marigold, don't just see a flower. See a soul-winner. See a plant that protects its neighbors, heals its environment, and carries a hundred potential futures inside every bloom.

Are you letting your seeds fall to the ground, or are you gathering for the King?

Love Always,

A Grateful Gardener