“Dada, what are you eatin’?

“Sunflower seeds. You wanna’ taste?”

“Ew. That’s for birds,” Daniel paused a minute. “No, wait. Sure. I want a taste.”

My husband broke the hull and handed my youngest the tiny seed. He held it. Then he tried to squeeze it. “Ouch! It’s sharp,” he exclaimed as he poked the pointy end. “I can’t eat this. It will cut open my inside.”

I laughed, “Daniel, it just feels sharp. Once you bite it, it breaks apart and tastes yummy. Give it a try.”

We finally convinced him to try the seed. Of course he loved it and wanted more. After he ate a couple, my husband jumped in, “Now, be careful, Daniel. If you eat too many seeds you might end up sitting on a limb and pooping on cars.” We all just laughed.

Later that same day, Daniel piped up from the back seat, “I want some more of those seeds so I can sit on a limb and poop like a bird.” We all laughed hysterically, but his simple and silly statement really made me think.

When Daniel first ran across the seed, he was hesitant, skeptical even. He carefully examined this new item that was potentially entering inside of him. When he thought about how sharp the edge seemed, he even feared that the seed would cut him from the inside. He was careful about what he chose to put inside of him; but that isn’t always the case.

So often we are lured and tempted by a new seed. It all seems great. Maybe we examine it closely, like Daniel did, but more often than not, we simply partake without considering the risks that the seed may bring. We watch violence on TV without batting an eye. We partake in gossip and slander. We listen to music laced with sexual imagery and suggestions. And we swallow each seed without even a moment’s hesitation.

What are these seeds sowing inside of us? Which of these seeds are cutting us from the inside out? Are we simply ingesting without considering what the digestion process of these seeds will entail? Maybe we won’t see an effect immediately. Maybe the little seeds aren’t causing any outward changes. But after a while, these seeds will begin to affect everyone around us.

If we don’t stop now and take the time to examine the seeds we are eating then we are going to be the ones sitting on a limb, pooping on all the cars; leaving a messy trail wherever we go. What goes in always comes out.

What seeds are you going to swallow?