When you see an acorn, you know it came from an oak tree. But pause for a moment—have you considered that every oak tree you’ve ever seen began as a single acorn?

Seeds are always true to their design. A sunflower seed grows into a sunflower. A pumpkin seed produces a pumpkin. Each one bears the imprint of the life within it. An acorn is no different. Its small, simple shell carries everything needed to grow into something towering and strong.

The greatest oak in the forest—mighty, unshakable, breathtaking—began as something that could fit in the palm of your hand. From that tiny acorn sprang a life that would stand for generations. Yet from the very moment it took root, the oak also began its slow descent toward decay. In this, we see a reflection of ourselves. From the day we are born, our mortal bodies start their journey toward death. Like the oak tree, we are not eternal in flesh.

But our souls—our immortal selves—are different. Just as the acorn carries the life that will endure long after its shell has fallen away, so does your soul carry the life that will outlast your earthly body.

Throughout its life, an oak provides shelter. Birds nest in its branches, animals rest beneath its shade, and travelers find refuge under its canopy. It weathers storms, sometimes scarred by lightning or wind. Some oaks are cut down too soon, others are consumed by fire. Yet even when it falls, the acorn it once dropped carries on the life of the tree.

Our lives mirror this. In these mortal bodies, we experience seasons—growth, loss, storms, and renewal. We are called to be a shelter for others, to bear fruit, and to stand firm in faith through the elements of this world. Our bodies may weaken, but our souls remain—the eternal seed God has placed within us.

And here’s the mystery: if our bodies decay, how will we recognize one another in heaven? Scripture tells us that while “the body is sown perishable, it is raised imperishable” (1 Corinthians 15:42). I believe it will be the life of Christ in us—the love we have shown, the faith we have lived, the fruit of the Spirit we have sown—that will make us recognizable.

Just as you can recognize that an oak tree came from an acorn, those who have gone before you will know you by the eternal life that has sprung from your soul and the seeds you have planted while on this earth.

So when you look at an acorn, remember—it is not just a seed, it is a promise. In the same way, your soul is the eternal seed God has planted within you. Though your body will age, weaken, and eventually return to the earth, your spirit will rise in glory. Just as we recognize an oak by its acorn, those who love you—and the Savior who redeemed you—will recognize you in eternity by the life of faith and love that sprang from your soul.