Jul. 19, 2020

Contributed by KS Maui Kahu Kalani Wong KSK’74

Ka Ipu o Lono shares weekly devotionals to provide spiritual enrichment to members of the Kamehameha Schools ‘ohana. For more inspiration, visit the KS “Our faith” website.

Heluhelu Baibala

Aʻo maila ʻo ia iā lākou i kēlā mea kēia mea ma nā ʻōlelo nane, i ka ʻī ʻana mai, Aia hoʻi, hele akula kekahi kanaka lūlū hua e lūlū. A i kāna lūlū ʻana, heleleʻi ihola kekahi ma kapa alanui, lele maila nā manu, a pau aʻela ia i ke kikoa. Akā heleleʻi ihola kekahi ma kahi hāpapa, ʻaʻohe nui o ka lepo; kupu wawe aʻela ia no ka papaʻu o ka lepo. A puka mai ka lā, mae ihola ia, maloʻo akula no ke aʻa ʻole. Akā heleleʻi ihola kekahi ma kahi kākalaioa, kupu aʻela ke kākalaioa a kāhihi akula ia mea. Akā heleleʻi ihola hoʻi kekahi ma ka lepo maikaʻi, a hua maila i ka hua, he pāhaneri kā kekahi, he pākanaono kā kekahi, a he pākanakolu kā kekahi. ʻO ka mea pepeiao lohe lā, e hoʻolohe ia. – Mataio 13:3-9

Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” - Matthew 13:3-9

 

He manaʻo o ke kahu

Some time ago, I noticed a different plant sprouting up among the ti plants growing up in our front yard. I left it alone and a few months later, the plant revealed itself to be a papaya tree. Now who would plant a papaya tree among the ti, let alone there, near the road? Fast forward to a couple months ago, I suddenly noticed this papaya tree had grown quite a bit and was loaded with hua, with fruit. Not just a few, but a bounty. It made me think of the parable of the sower of the seeds. This passage speaks of a mahiʻai, or farmer, who goes out and scatters seeds which fall on a variety of surfaces; the path, on rocky places, among thorns and on good soil. All brought about different results. Those that fell on the path was eaten by nā manu (birds). The seeds which fell on the rocky places sprang up quickly but withered in the sun because they had no root. The seeds that grew up among the thorns were choked the plants, while those that fell on the good soil produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

As the crowd listened to Iesū, I’m sure they were probably wondering what kind of mahiʻai would be so extravagant to throw seeds anywhere and everywhere. I’m not a gardener, but I would be very specific of where I planted my seeds, looking for where it would be easy to harvest or add beauty to an area, properly prepare the soil and water regularly. So this parable must have been a confusion for the people as well, but fear not, for Iesū goes on to explain the parable in verses 18-23, “Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

He shares that the seed is the message of ke Akua. While the seeds falling on the lesser soil produce minimal results, there are those which fall on good soil, those who hear the word and understand it. This one produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. The challenge is that we don’t know how ka ʻōlelo o ke Akua (the word of God) will touch people. Like the mahiʻai, we just need to do what we are meant to do: spread the message of ka ʻeuanelio, the Gospel. To do it in the manner of Iesū, in aloha. His passion, his aloha for others, brought forth hua. Think of the woman at the well, who had to fetch her wai in the middle of the day, while it was the hottest. It was also when no one else would be there to judge her. Iesū reached out to her and told her about ka wai ola, the living water. She believed and went home to tell others. It was because of this woman’s testimony, that many Samaritans believed that Iesū was the Savior of the world. Who knew what hua would be born from that encounter? Ke Akua did.

Know that ka ʻeuanelio was not just meant to be stingily dispersed but spread in an extravagant fashion. The seed of aloha was meant not just for a few but for many. It was to fall on the open of heart and the hard of mind, the closed spirited and the spirit touched, the weak and the strong. Because that’s how God is, his love is palenaʻole, is boundless, never ending, especially when it falls on the good soil. Like that papaya tree growing in the middle of the ti, it will bear a bountiful harvest.

 

Points to ponder this week:

• How did you become a kalikiano (Christian)? Was it during a crusade, when seed was spread out far and wide? Or did someone reach out to you personally? Say a pule of thanks for that individual. Call or write to them to tell of your growth or maybe your struggles.
• When was the last time you shared your faith with someone? When have you shared the love of ke Akua with others? Start with just one person, maybe a close friend to practice and go from there.
• Like the woman at the well, ke Akua works on those others thought were lost. Look for the story of how evangelist David Wilkerson reached out to gang leader Nicky Cruz. This encounter led to Cruz’s conversion and motivation to become a pastor. Ke Akua enabled him to reach out to over 50 million people in his lifetime, leading many youth to Kristo. What a bountiful harvest.
• Pule for divine appointments to speak to others and be ready. Ke Akua will answer your pule at the most opportune time. Be ready in season and out of season to share his Word.
• Have you tended your own garden lately? Have you been dwelling in ka Baibala, pulling from it the hua that will provide you the wisdom and nourishment you need to get you through the difficult times in life, to be able to see ka lima o ke Akua is over you? To be able to sow a field, you need to have the seeds. Dig deep in ka Baibala for that.