"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit."

Every farmer knows an incredible truth that most people never think about: before you can have a harvest, something has to die. That beautiful corn in the field? It started with a seed that completely disappeared into the ground. The apple tree producing fruit? It began with a seed that died to itself so something greater could grow.

Jesus used this farming truth to teach us something incredible about how God's kingdom works. Just like that grain of wheat, we have two choices: we can stay safe and remain alone, or we can die to ourselves and produce much fruit.

But what does it actually mean to "die to ourselves"? It's not about becoming a doormat or losing your personality. It's about putting God's will ahead of your own desires. It's about saying, "Lord, use me in this conversation" instead of trying to impress people. It's about choosing to forgive when you'd rather hold a grudge. It's about being generous when you'd rather be comfortable.

Here's the incredible thing about spiritual death: it always produces more life than it costs. When you die to your need to be right in an argument, you might gain a stronger relationship. When you die to spending money on yourself, you might see God provide for someone else in an amazing way. When you die to your comfortable routine to serve others, you might discover joy you never knew existed.

Think about Jesus himself. He literally died on the cross, and that death produced the most incredible harvest in history - millions of people finding eternal life. His sacrifice didn't end His impact; it multiplied it beyond anything He could have accomplished just staying alive.

Right now, God is asking each of us the same question: Will you be like that grain of wheat that stays safe and alone, or will you die to yourself so incredible fruit can grow through your life?

The truth is, most of us are holding onto our "seed" because we're afraid of what might happen if we let go. We want to keep our comfort, our plans, our agenda. But just like a farmer who hoards his seed never gets a harvest, when we refuse to die to ourselves, we miss out on the incredible multiplication God wants to do through us.

So what is God asking you to die to today?
What comfort, what dream, what desire might He want you to sacrifice so something far greater can grow?

Identify one specific way you can "die to yourself" today - maybe it's giving up your need to be right in a disagreement, sacrificing some personal time to help someone, or letting go of a grudge you've been holding.