Greta pushed back her floppy hat and wiped her brow. The sun beat down, but the neat rows of vegetables filled her with satisfaction. The sound of the sliding door drew her attention.

             “Hey Mom.”

              Greta looked up to find her teenage daughter entering the back yard. “Hey Molly, why the long face?”

             “It’s nothing,” Molly said, staring at her feet.

             Greta stood and removed her gardening gloves. “Come, sit. I can tell something’s bothering you, so let’s talk about it.”

             Molly shuffled to the picnic table and sat on the bench across from Greta. “It’s Taylor. I’ve been trying to get her to go to youth group with me all year, and now we have the retreat coming up next weekend, but she doesn’t want to come.”
“It’s wonderful for you to invite her, but you can’t make her want to go.”

            “But Pastor Evan says we’re to be salt and light in the world. We’re supposed to make disciples of all nations. How can I do that if I can’t even get one of my best friends to come to youth group?”
            “Honey, Taylor didn’t grow up in a Christian home. She doesn’t understand what it’s all about.”
            “But that’s exactly my point. She’s not a Christian. How will she ever become one if she never goes to church?”

            “Converting Taylor to Christianity is not your responsibility,” Greta said.

            “What about making disciples?” Molly asked.

            “Hear me out,” Greta said, pointing towards the garden. “Take a look at the garden. I planted it, I water it, and I weed it, but I can’t make it grow.”
           “Don’t all those things make it grow?”

           “Only God can make a plant grow,” Greta said. “And only God can draw Taylor to Himself. There are a lot of things I do to encourage my vegetables to grow. I plant them at the right time of year, I space out the seeds so they don’t overcrowd one another, I plant the garden in the sunlight, not the shade. I also water it whenever it hasn’t rained for a few days, and I pull the weeds. It’s a lot of work. But I can do all that right, and if the seeds are dead, they won’t grow.”
          “Wouldn’t you be upset?” Molly asked.

          “I would be disappointed, yes. That would be a lot of work with nothing to show for it, but it wouldn’t be my fault. It’s just like with Taylor. If she decides she doesn’t want to go to youth group, even if you’ve prepared her by telling her all about it, it’s not your fault.”

          “It’s still disappointing,” Molly said.

          “Of course it is. Sometimes we spend our entire lives praying for someone to come to the Lord.”

         “But why would God want us to do that?”

         “He wants us to be obedient to Him, even if we can’t see the results right away. Your role in Taylor’s life may only be to plant the seeds. One day, years from now, someone else may be the one to lead her to Christ, but you might be the key to her being ready someday. Sometimes the best way to draw someone to Christ isn’t by inviting them to church or even telling them about God.”
“What do you mean?” Molly asked.

        “Sometimes you can draw people to God simply by the way you live. If you walk in God’s ways, people will notice.”
        “I guess that makes sense. Thanks, Mom. Can I borrow the car? I need to be at work soon.”
        “Sure thing. Will you be home before dinner?”

        “Yep. See you then!”

****

        Molly and Taylor stood behind the counter of the frozen yogurt shop, reloading the ingredients at the toppings bar.

       “Is everything ok?” Taylor asked. “You didn’t text back after I told you I didn’t want to go to the retreat.”

       Molly put on a smile. “It’s fine. Sorry I didn’t text back. I went to go talk to my mom, and before I knew it, it was time for work. I still can’t believe we both got jobs here this summer.”
       “I know, right? It hardly seems like work when we have shifts at the same time. Plus, lots of kids from school stop by, so it’s a fun place.”

       The jingling sound of the door opening caused both girls to look up. In strolled Tiffany and Ashley, the two most popular girls in school. Taylor instantly straightened as they approached the counter.

      “Hey Taylor, I heard you were working here. What do you say you give us a couple of yogurts on the house?”

      Taylor’s face twisted, and Molly sensed her inner turmoil. Taylor always wanted to be part of the popular crowd, but lived just on the edge. Giving free yogurts to these girls would help her social status, but it was clearly against the rules. What would Taylor do?

      Molly found a way to bail her out. “Sorry, girls, but we can’t give away free yogurt. We do have this club card, though. Once you buy 9 cones or cups, the 10^th one is free.”

      “Whatever,” Ashley said, rolling her eyes. “Give me a mango cup with strawberries on it.”

      “I’ll have a vanilla with chocolate chips and nuts,” said Tiffany.

       Molly and Taylor filled the orders and took the girls’ money. When they left the store, Jessica, their boss, came around front.

       “I heard what happened out here,” Jessica said. “I want you girls to know I’m proud of you. It’s hard to stand up to friends asking for free things. If you had, though, I would have had to let you go. I can’t have employees I don’t trust working here. Glad to hear I don’t have to worry about you two.”  She opened the cash register and placed several bills into the bank bag. “I’m going to take the deposit across the street to the bank. I know the store will be in good hands while I’m gone.”
As the door jangled shut behind her, Taylor turned to Molly. “Thank you so much. If you hadn’t been here, I might have given them the free yogurts. I can’t afford to lose this job. I’d never be able to save up for a car without it.”

      “It’s no big deal,” Molly said, shrugging.

      “Maybe not to you, but you always seem to do the right thing,” Taylor said. “You made the right choice even though it may have cost you socially.”
      “I’m not worried about trying to impress those girls,” Molly said. “I know who my true friends are.”
      “So do I,” Taylor said, smiling at Molly. “Maybe I’ll think about going to that youth group thing with you after all.”

1 Corinthians 3:7-8

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

 

^{1 Peter 3:15} 

 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Dear Lord, Thank You for giving us the opportunity to shine Your light to others. Help prepare us to give others a reason for the hope we have. Help us be salt and light to draw others to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.