Seeds and Things

Today I was reading in Alma 32 about seeds of faith. This is a very well known and loved chapter for most people. And though I have read it dozens of times, today I was struck by something.

Alma 32:33-35

33. And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.

34. And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand.

35. O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good...


I think what stood out to me most was in verse 34, where it says "Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing." I don't think I had ever noticed the transition here. Faith starts small, as a seed, and as it is planted and as it grows, so does our faith and knowledge. This I understand, but I love that it comes in degrees. It starts in little incriments. Here, he is specifically talking about how our knowledge is perfect in relation to the experiment on his word. If we plant the seed of faith, and it grows, then we know that it is good. We know that it is true. It is no longer a matter of faith. As he says our "faith is dormant." He likens it unto the light "because it is discernible." I love that. So many say that religion and science do not co-exist, but this illustration is so beautiful - a scientific experiment on religious principles. If we feel the seed begin to swell, then we have our proof that it is a good seed and we can know that it is true - just as we know light is discernible from darkness.

But that doesn't mean we have to understand everything yet. In fact, at the end of verse 35 he asks if our knowledge is perfect, to which he answers in verse 36 that no, it is not. We cannot lay aside our faith. We have our proof - our knowledge - that the seed is good, but we do not stop there. It is beginning point of a long relationship with that seed. We must continue to nurture and to take care of it - and eventually as it grows, so will our knowledge and understanding.

Again, this is nothing new to me - but I just loved the idea that we can have a perfect knowledge of small things - pieces of a puzzle, links in a chain, all pulling together with faith, work, and prayer to help us gain a more perfect state. It is a journey, just like growing a garden. It doesn't just happen. It take time, and work, and patience. But we do have those moments, those pieces of absolute knowledge. We build our blocks of knowledge along with our mortar of faith until one day...

This gospel is amazing. It is, for me, the definition of peace and purpose. I know that it is true. I don't understand everything yet. I have a long way to go for that. Life times. Eternities. But the seed is growing, and I can say without any doubt, that the seed is good.