Postmodern Parables: The Seed

A young girl went with her parents to a neighbor’s house for a cookout. After everyone sat down, the neighbor brought out a big plate of thick, juicy watermelon slices. As the young girl prepared to take a bite of the watermelon, her father pointed to the seeds. “Be careful not to eat those,” he said, “They’re watermelon seeds. If you swallow one a watermelon will grow in your belly.” Horrified, the little girl ate the watermelon carefully, picking out each of the seeds and only taking small bites, just in case she missed one. She managed to avoid eating any seeds. At school the next day the boy she sat next to had a bag of salted snacks. “What are those?” the little girl asked. “Sunflower seeds,” her friend replied, popping one in her mouth. “They’re good. Wanna try one?” “No!” cried the little girl, recoiling in horror. “I don’t want to have a sunflower grow in my belly.” “What?” asked the boy. “My daddy told me that if I ate watermelon seeds a watermelon would grow in my belly. If I eat a sunflower seed, a sunflower will grow in my belly.” “Oh,” the boy looked down at his sunflower seeds. “I don’t want a sunflower in my belly, either.” He got up, walked across the room and threw the bag away.