Who Teacheth Like Him?

“A corn of wheat” I hold within my hand;
Bare grain it is-a hard, uncomely thing;
I let it fall into the ground and die
And lo! therefrom I see new life upspring;
A shoot; a blade; then, ears of ripened corn!
What fruitage from that one small seed is born!

Which thing a parable to me becomes-
Myself, a seed- will but a seed remain
Till I consent, as did my Lord, to die
And so bring forth rich yield of golden grain,
He taught me this, by parable and cross:
My life to gain, of life to suffer loss.

Thomas O. Chisholm