Cultivating the Garden

Learning to Tend the Goodness

Don’t you just love the freshness of homegrown veggies? The crisp taste of cucumbers and the sweetness of a fresh tomato? These are two of my favorite fresh veggies of summer. I love to add in an onion and some Italian seasons with EVOO and chill. This is one of the best snacks and side dishes for summer.

In order to get to the fresh veggies the plant had to be tended. There were many hours of weeding and watering, just to be sure that the soil was good. Then there were the hours of keeping the pests from eating up the harvest. It takes work to cultivate the garden. It’s not as simple as throwing seeds out and seeing what pops up. However, entertaining that can be… it just doesn’t grow a garden that will produce a high yield.

Our spiritual garden is the same way. We can’t just through a few seeds in here and there and expect to have this high-yielding spiritual life. A scripture here and there doesn’t always give us the sustaining word that we need in times of need. Even though we know that God is near when we are facing difficult times, we still need to grow spiritual fruit that will sustain us through the tough times. For example, we need peace when we face fear and joy when we face grief.

Not Just For Us

We also need to realize that our fruit isn’t just for us. It is for those who we come in contact with and are in need of hope, love, joy, grace, peace, and compassion. For the one who feels alone in the cancer treatment we grow hope and compassion. We grow love for those who have been abandoned and have no one.

What happens if we don’t plant the right seed? Sometimes we plant a seed that is not viable and will not produce anything. A rotten seed will not grow. This is exactly what God’s word says about us spiritually.

“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from brambles.” Luke 6:43-44, NET

and

In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit. Matthew 7:17-20, NET

When a plant grows and the vegetable is not able to be harvested, we just pull the plant and burn it. It is of no use to keep something that is only producing bad fruit or no fruit. But if that plant is producing vegetables that are delicious and usable then we want to take care of it so that it continues to produce.

Spiritually we are the same way. If we aren’t growing fruit that will satisfy the hungry then what are we? How can we say we love God when we aren’t willing to produce the fruit of the Spirit that will encourage and compel others?

When our roots take hold and go deep, we are able to continue to produce fruit for those around us. God will tend to us and prune away the dead and diseased places of our lives so that others can see Him in us. It’s not about us… It’s about God being the fruit that is produced when we abide in the right soil and take up the right nutrients.

But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance. Luke 8-15, NET

It’s not just as simple as growing patience and being done. We have to tend to that plant and continue to tend to it as it grows.