If you search for information online about GMO’s you may become overwhelmed at the intensity of opinions on both sides. To sum up, one side is saving the world one crop at a time, the other is convinced GMO’s are the world’s demise. Let me clarify. It’s neither.

Having an easier time raising huge amounts of the same crop in one area can be very convincing toward hunger issues. However, Jesus said a man who doesn’t work doesn’t eat. A few good farmers providing ALL the food was never part of the plan.  Adam was told that by the sweat of his brow he will eat his food… So I’m a firm believer that each of us must take at least a small part in growing our food. If we all did, we could give and trade an abundance available.

On the other side, GMO’s are NOT the end of the world. Sin is. He says He will surely burn up this world due to the sin residing in it. “Global Warming” is not how he plans to do it. Furthermore, GMO’s are NOT the root to every sickness. Again, sin is. There are consequential sin sicknesses such is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 11 concerning the communion, also mentioned in Proverbs 14:30 that envy is rottenness to the bones. There are also sicknesses that reside because of sin in this world and it falling short of the glory it was originally made in. For example the flu or cold virus and other bacteria that attack us. Each sickness needs to be individually assessed and addressed. We can NOT put blanket causes on things though we’d like to.

So then the question arises…. Why No GMO? Well, simply put, God didn’t design it that way. I feared GMO’s as much as the next guy before the Lord told me that I cannot do anything fear based. Only Faith based. So He showed me what to have faith in. It’s in the beginning…. Surprise surprise I know…. Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. Then He said it was good. FYI the bible never mentions vegetables, it’s either herb or fruit. So this lengthy debate on whether tomatoes and avocados are fruits or vegetable, solved! Both fruit by biblical definition. Ok that being said… Note the language here in verse 11 it specifically says that a plant is to give a seed “after its own kind”. In fact, He mentions it twice in row, case we missed it! Everyone who has done even tiny bits of research on GMO’s know that they are NOT a seed after its own kind. Admittedly, they are seeds with drastically different “kinds” engineered into them. This is enough for me. However if you want to dig deeper, I dare you to look at what the bible says about genetic engineering all together. If this blows your mind, don’t worry, I used to think it wasn’t addressed in there too. It is. Jesus says “there is nothing new under the sun…” Ecclesiastes 1:9

So, if Jesus says that a plant should grow a seed after its kind and from a seed of the same kind are we going to have some small variances? Yes! You don’t look exactly like your mom or exactly like your dad but you are human! Well if you plant a corn seed you wouldn’t expect a tomato or worse yet, an amphibian? Yet dna from radically different plants and animals are exactly what is being engineered into these GMO’s.

Open pollination crossing has been done for centuries to provide a variance that suits a particular growing situation. However, the variances never produce a completely different genus. Let me explain Hybrids. A mommy tomato with a particular trait you want and a daddy tomato with a different trait you want cross pollinate to create a baby with both or a trait you can’t get otherwise. If you plant the seed produced from baby you may get a plant a lot like the grandma, or a lot like the grandpa but it’ll still be a tomato. The only way to guaranty that you get baby over and over with your favorite trait is to keep a mommy and a daddy cross pollinating. The beauty of heirloom is the babies and grandbabies are all the same as the original or darn close. Again, never giving anything other than a tomato.

In summation, I plant seeds that are after their own kind because that’s the kind God planted. It’s a beautiful picture of generational blessings as well. I suppose that’s a topic for another time though!

Happy planting!

Amen