Brett made his way along the row of chairs and chose a seat toward the middle. A moment later, he glanced up to see his friend.

             Trevor slapped his shoulder. “Hey, man, I didn’t know you were coming to this conference.”

            Brett grinned at him. “I’ve attended the past few years. I always get a lot out of it. I think you will, too.”

            Trevor grinned. “I hope so. The traffic getting here was crazy. There must be two thousand people in this place.”

            They settled into their seats as a man approached the podium. “Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to introduce our first speaker. It’s a real treat to have him here to share with us today. He is the founder and senior pastor of Renewed Life Community Church. RLCC has grown to thousands of members, all by reaching out to those the traditional church overlooks. RLCC focuses on ministering to the homeless, the addicts, and those who desperately need the love of God. The church operates an addiction recovery center and has a 100-bed shelter for those who are transitioning to life off the streets. RLCC has a large staff, but it all came about through the vision of one man. I’m so proud to introduce Jordan Eldridge.”

            The room erupted in applause. Brett clapped along, but turned to Trevor. “That’s funny. I knew a guy in college with that name. But there’s no way it’s the same guy.”

            As Jordan took the stage, Brett studied him. He was about the right age, but his head was shaved and he sported a goatee. He resembled his old college friend, but it was probably just a coincidence. As Jordan spoke though, all doubt fled. Brett knew that voice. But how could his old college buddy have done such great things?

            Jordan was dynamic and engaging. His love for the people he served was truly inspirational. By the end of the talk, Brett was ready to turn his own church around and serve the needy. But he still couldn’t reconcile the party-loving Jordan he knew in college with this amazing man.

            At the coffee break, Brett waited for Jordan to be free. When he finally turned Brett’s way, Brett reached out a hand. “You probably don’t remember me, but…”

            Jordan reached around Brett’s hand and wrapped him in a hug. “Brett Traynor! Of course I remember you. How are you? It’s amazing to see you again.”

            Brett stepped back and stared at Jordan. “It’s amazing to see you, too. Your talk was incredible. I’m so inspired by what you’ve done.”

            Jordan laughed. “Go ahead and say it. I can see it in your eyes. You’re trying to figure out what happened to me. Come, let’s sit, and I’ll tell you my story.”

            They pulled two chairs together off to the side of the room, and Jordan grinned at Brett. “You have a lot to do with why I’m here today.”

            Brett’s eyes widened. “Oh?”

            “You were the first person to tell me about Jesus.”

            Brett frowned. “Yeah, but you never listened. You were far more interested in partying and drinking. I think you went with me to Bible study one time, and blew me off every time after that. I don’t see how any of that could have led you to where you are today.”

            Jordan leaned back in his chair. “All of that is true. I didn’t care a thing about God when you knew me. I was all about myself and what would make me feel good. But deep down, I envied you.”

            “Me? Why? You were the one all the girls wanted. You had a ton of friends. I was just a boring kid who went to class and Bible study.”

            Jordan shook his head. “No, man. You were the one at peace. You didn’t need to get drunk on Friday night because you already had the answers. I didn’t want to face the fact that I had it all wrong, so I turned to alcohol and other drugs instead. We all have a hole inside us. You filled yours with God. I filled mine with things that left me even more empty. I didn’t really realize it at the time, but yes, I envied you. A couple years after college, I almost died from a drug overdose. At that time, I had a vision of what my life would be like if I didn’t turn things around. And I remembered what you told me about Jesus. I knew I couldn’t keep going the way I was, so I asked Jesus to take my broken, messed up life and make it into what He wanted it to be.”

            Brett stared at Jordan. “That’s incredible.”

            “It is. The funny thing is, God decided to use me to speak to other people who chose to go down the same path I did. He’s allowing me to help Him bring people back from the chains of addiction every day.”

            “I had no idea.”

            “Don’t stop planting seeds, Brett. You never know when they might sprout. I didn’t care at all what you were telling me back in school, but Renewed Life Community Church wouldn’t exist today if you didn’t care enough to tell me about Jesus 15 years ago.”

1 Corinthians 3: 4-9

For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

God, only You know how people will respond to You. We are called to shine Your light and tell others of Your love, even if it doesn’t seem like they are listening. We may never know the fruits of our labors, but what a blessing it is when You use us to draw people to You. Please encourage us to continue to reach out to people and sow seeds, even when the results are not encouraging. We may be used to plant the seeds, water the seeds, or even some day see those seeds bear fruit! Thank you for allowing us the blessing of reaching other for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.