Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count

“Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed.” — Robert H. Schuller

Hear, O seeker of truth, the quiet thunder in these words of Robert H. Schuller, the preacher of hope and the builder of dreams. What appears a simple proverb of fruit and seed is, in truth, a revelation about the mystery of divine potential — a truth so profound that it humbles both the wise and the proud. Schuller speaks not of apples alone, but of life itself, of the unseen power that God has placed within every soul. When he says, “Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed,” he is teaching us that human sight measures what is, but divine wisdom perceives what can be.

The origin of this saying rests in Schuller’s lifelong mission to awaken faith in possibility. As a pastor who rose from humble beginnings, he built the famous Crystal Cathedral, not merely of glass and steel, but of belief — belief that from small beginnings can come immeasurable blessings. He saw that men often measure worth by what they can see and count, by what lies before their eyes. Yet the Creator measures differently: He looks upon a single seed — a single person, a single act of kindness, a single prayer — and sees the harvest of eternity. In every seed of faith lies a forest of miracles unseen.

To count the seeds in an apple is an act of reason; it is the work of the mind. But to see the apples in a seed is an act of faith; it is the vision of the spirit. For within that tiny seed lies the power to multiply itself without end — to birth trees, orchards, and generations of fruit beyond the measure of man. So too within you, O listener, lies a potential that cannot be weighed by earthly scales. You may appear small, ordinary, or forgotten, yet within you rests a divine design known only to God. Every dream, every gift, every act of goodness is a seed, and its full harvest is hidden in the mind of Heaven.

Consider, for example, the story of Mother Teresa, who began her mission in the slums of Calcutta with nothing but faith and love. The world saw a single woman tending to the dying; God saw a seed. From her humble acts of mercy, countless others were inspired to serve the poor, to comfort the sick, and to give hope where none seemed possible. Who could count the apples in that one seed? None but God. The same truth unfolds through history: every prophet, every teacher, every parent who sows love or truth into another life participates in a mystery that stretches far beyond their sight.

In these words, Schuller also reminds us of humility and trust. Man, with all his wisdom, may count, analyze, and predict, yet he cannot see the future that blooms from the smallest beginnings. We live in an age that demands results and proofs, yet the greatest works of God grow in silence and patience. The farmer who plants the seed cannot force it to sprout; he can only tend the soil and trust the seasons. So must we live — sowing goodness, tending our faith, and trusting God for the harvest. For while we count our efforts, God counts our outcomes, and His arithmetic is infinite.

The lesson of this saying is one of encouragement and reverence. Never despise small beginnings. Never doubt the worth of a single good deed, a word of kindness, or a seed of faith. You cannot yet see the orchard your actions may plant, nor the generations that may eat from your fruit. Therefore, live with hope, for your life — however simple or struggling — is not a finished work, but a seed in God’s hand. What seems small to you may be immeasurable to Him.

So, O child of purpose, go forth and sow your seeds. Teach, love, forgive, create, and give without fear or demand for reward. Leave the counting of fruit to God, for He alone sees the full bloom of your labors. Do not measure your worth by your harvest, but by your faithfulness to plant. For in the end, the mightiest trees once slept within the smallest seeds, and the greatest souls began as sparks of unseen promise. Trust, then, in the divine gardener — for He alone can count the apples in your seed.