A successful business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take
over the business. Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided
to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, âIt is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one
of you. âThe young executives were shocked, but the boss continued.â I am going to give each
one of you a SEED today – one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and
come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you.
I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEOâ
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went
home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he
planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After
about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants
that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks,
four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but
Jim didnât have a plant and he felt like a failure.
Six months went byâstill nothing in Jimâs pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone
else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didnât say anything to his colleagues,
however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil – He so wanted the seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the
CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasnât going to take an empty pot. But she asked
him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick at his stomach, it was going to be
the most embarrassing moment of life, but he knew his wife was right He took his empty pot to
the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other
executives. They were beautifulâin all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and
many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried
to hide in the back. âMy, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown,â said the CEO.
âToday one of you will be appointed the next CEO!â All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the
back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front.
Jim was terrified. He thought, âThe CEO knows Iâm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!â
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed Jim told him the
story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced
to the young executives, âBehold your next Chief Executive!
His name is Jim!â Jim couldnât believe it. Jim couldnât even grow his seed. How could he be the
new CEO the others said?
Then the CEO said, âOne year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take
the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they
were dead – it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees
and plants and flowers.
When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave
you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it.
Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!â
If you plant honesty, you will reap trust. If you plant goodness, you will reap friends. If you plant
humility, you will reap greatness. If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment. If you
plant consideration, you will reap perspective. If you plant hard work, you will reap success. If
you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation. So, be careful what you plant now; it will
determine what you will reap later.
âGod has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised
tomorrow to your procrastination.â – Augustine