St. Andrews is one of 53 congregations in the NE MN Synod that are Pollinator Sanctuary Congregations – meaning having some sort of pollinator plot, garden, or in our case a meadow. This past June we joined other congregations in observing “Pollinator Sunday”. It was an opportunity to give thanks for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators that play a vital role in God's creation.

As I reflected on Pollinator Sunday, I began to wonder whether pollinators might have something to teach us about discipleship. What I mean is that pollinators do their work faithfully, quietly and often unnoticed. Moving from flower to flower, they carry pollen that helps produce fruits, vegetables, seeds, and flowers. Through countless small acts, they help life flourish. The life of faith often works the same way.

As followers of Jesus, we are called to carry – not pollen – but God's enacted love into the world. We carry hope, compassion, encouragement, mercy, and grace. And often we do so in simple ways. Faithfully, quietly, and often unnoticed. In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus says, "Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones..." A cup of water. That's it. A small act of kindness. Other small acts might be a word of encouragement; a meal shared; a phone call made; a listening ear offered.

Like pollinators, we rarely see the full impact of what we do. We may never know how a kind word changed someone's day, or how an act of generosity inspired another act of generosity. That’s OK. Our calling is simply to do the next faithful thing.

What if we thought of discipleship as a kind of pollination? Carrying God's love from place to place. Helping life – God’s abundant life for all - flourish wherever we go. Trusting that God can use even the smallest acts to bring that life into the world. How are you doing that? How will you do that?

Peace,

Pastor Dave