There once was a man: the CEO of a major company. He was retiring and looking for someone of good character to replace him in his responsible job. There were five people in line for this promotion. All of them capable, with good references and lots of experience. There was nothing to choose between them and on paper any one of them would fit the bill.

So the CEO set them a task. Giving them each a seed to plant he told them to go away for 6 weeks and that, at the end of that time, the person whose plant had grown the tallest would achieve this promotion. So that’s what they did. Compost was liberally added, watering was frequent and plentiful. Enough sunlight given (but not too much). In each case everything possible was done ensure that the plants grew well.

Four of them did.

One of them didn’t so much as show itself above the soil.

The day finally came to present them to the CEO. While the first four proudly presented their healthy, growing plants for inspection, the fifth person shifted in their chair, avoiding eye contact and trying to hide his empty plant pot. It seemed he’d failed. Eventually the inevitable moment came and he shuffled forward, expecting any moment to be laughed at and probably sent home minus any job whatsoever. The CEO looked at that plant pot for a long time. Then, finally, went to the fifth person, put his hand on their shoulder, turned to face the others and said: ‘This is your new CEO’.

Cries of astonishment and distress. ‘How? Why? That plant didn’t even grow! They can’t even keep a flower alive, how are they going to manage with a whole company?’ ‘No,’ said the CEO. ‘That plant didn’t grow. And neither should yours have done. All the seeds I gave you were dead. The rest of you have been out and replaced them. This person is the only one who had the courage to tell the truth. Even knowing the consequences.’

Do you ever find yourself looking at someone else and thinking ‘Why am I not more like them? If I were like them then I could serve God in so many ways and do so many things.’

Now of course, in real life, none of us are given ‘dead seeds’. Each and every one of us, no matter who we are, has gifts and graces. Those things are part of what makes us who we are. Perhaps our plants may be different shapes and sizes, but they all grow.

Having the courage and honesty to be ourselves isn’t always easy. We may feel we have little to give. We may compare ourselves with others.

The challenge, then, is to live according to who we are, being honest with ourselves and with God about our strengths and limitations.

You might say we are challenged to a true version of ourselves.

And we come before a God who knows us absolutely