There is a time for everything, the book of Ecclesiastes tells us, and this is the time to plant.
Literally, it is the time, here in Michigan, where we have passed the “frost-free” date, and all those little seedlings that you started a couple of months ago are ready to go outside. If you didn’t start them early, well, it is now time to direct sow your seeds.
It’s hard work to put in a garden, especially where there has been no garden before. Gardening takes elbow grease, with all of the weed removal, digging holes or furrows for the new plants or seeds, and then mixing in compost or whatever soil amendments you might use. Experience might help you plan out next year a little better, but the truth is, it’s just plain-old, hard work.
But there is joy in planting time! It is a time for vision and imagination. There is power in planting a seed and watching it grow, knowing that in the future, that will be food for your table. I love the way the garden looks early on, when the rows are straight, and the weeds haven’t taken over yet! The tomatoes are still in the holes where you planted them (instead of sprawled all over the garden), and the walkway is still visible.
Are you growing anything this year? It’s not too late to get started. And for those with the desire for “clean” fruits and veggies (toxic-lite), it’s nice to know exactly what goes into the food you are planning to eat (which will then become a part of you!)
When my family of origin moved to the country, we lived in a home with a barn that had been there for over a hundred years. The accumulated leavings of hundreds of animals enriched the soil during all that time, and so the “barn garden” was very rich in nutrients. The rhubarb we grew there was almost as tall as my mom, and anything planted there was extra large and beautiful.
I took that lesson to heart, and so we “dress in” aged chicken manure in our gardens, and have found it not only helps production, but we are delighted that healthy plants tend to be more resistant to pests. We also pray over our gardens, and ask for protection, and that the Lord will bless us with good produce. “The earth is the Lord’s in the fullness thereof.” (Psalm 24:1)
A lot of gardening wisdom seems to come from trial-and-error. In decades past, an elderly gardener would be available to coach the children and teach them how to plant, when to harvest, and give them plenty of insider tips on how to coax the best from the plants. But alas, there are far fewer elderly gardeners than there were! But if you find one, treasure his or her off-hand comments, and listen carefully for advice. It may save you years of struggle in your garden.
Beroske Farms and Greenhouse in Delta, Ohio.
I have been under the weather for the last few days, and so I didn’t get to write the Mother’s Day tribute that I wanted to, but I had plenty of time to just close my eyes and think. And in my thinking about planting the garden, and Mother’s Day, I began to see the connection between being a mother and planting a garden.
Children are offered to us in stewardship; that is, we are accountable to our Creator for how we manage things. Raising a child is a tremendous undertaking, and child care is not something to be hired out lightly.
William Ross Wallace wrote the poem, “The Hand that Rocks the Cradle (Is the Hand that Rules the World),” and he was right. Our influence over those little children will be imprinted on their lives, and will guide the next generation. But King Solomon’s advice, “Raise up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6), emphasizes the responsibility of the person doing the raising. We must raise children “in the way he (or she) should go.”
If you are a parent, the “fruit” is your children. If you are a teacher, the “fruit” is your students. If you are a pastor, the “fruit” is your congregation. If you are a gardener, your “fruit” is, well, your fruit. Or your vegetables.
We have to be careful to be good stewards over what has been put in our charge, and always be ready for our Lord’s inspection.
“Moreover it is required in stewards, that one be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2)
So what does it mean to be a good steward? We can get some insight about that from the parable of the talents. (Mathew 25:14 – 30) The story is pretty simple: The Master plans to go on a trip, and so divides his estate among three of his servants. To one, he gives five talents, to another, two and to the last one, one. “Each one according to his ability.“ And when the Master came back from his trip, he asked for an account from each servant.
We can understand a little more about what stewards are supposed to do by looking at what these servants did, and how they were rewarded. The first and second servants, who had received two and five talents, invested them; and when the Master returned, they were able to not only give back what had been given them, but they were able to double it. And they were rewarded by acceptance and the ability to rule.
To each one, the Master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: Enter into the joy of the Lord.”
But the servant who had only been given one talent had been afraid to lose it, so he buried it in the ground for safekeeping. As a result, that servant was only able to return to his Master the one talent that had been given to him.
The Master was furious. He ordered his servants to take the talent from the wicked servant and give it to the man who had ten, and then he ordered the wicked servant to be “cast into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
At first glance, it seems a little harsh, doesn’t it? After all, aren’t we told to squirrel our money away and be cautious in our investing so that we don’t lose money? But instead of passing judgment on God’s parable using the wisdom of man, maybe we ought to think twice about man’s so-called “wise” advice.
The Master required a return on his investment, and this was probably understood by those servants when they received the talents. (A talent is a large amount, something like 20 years of wages.) They had a good amount of time, and a lot of money, and they knew they were expected to bring an increase. Two of the servants invested the considerable sums they were given. They probably did some research, and must have had experience in investing before this. One had 40 years worth of paychecks in his care, and the other one had 100! To ensure they got a return, they must have taken on some risk.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to suddenly inherit a very large sum of money? How would you manage it? Would you buy land, invest in gold, play the stock market, or gamble? For that is exactly what these servants had to decide. They were given the money with no instructions. But really, the talents were given to them as a test of their faithfulness.
In this parable, “The Master” is God, and He has given each one of us something in trust. We all have to answer for how we use what we have been given. We all are accountable for how we use our time, for how we use any authority we have, and for how we use the resources God has entrusted to us.
God, also, requires a return on his investment. But how do we bring Him a return, especially when we may be in in financial need ourselves? The key to remember is that he wants “a return.” In other words, he has given you something to start with, and he wants to see it grow.
Each servant was given “according to their ability.” That’s another key. God wants us to use what we have to bring Him glory. He will never ask us for something we don’t have, or can’t provide. Who knows our capabilities better than God?
So take inventory. What has God given you? “Talents” may refer to money, or a “talent” might refer to your skills. Are you really good at something? Can you sew? Do you sing? Are you a good “backyard mechanic?” Do you enjoy yard work? Do you like to fish? I could go on and on, but you know what you like to do, and what you are good at doing. That thing you enjoy has been given to you not only for yourself, but also so that you can bless other people.
Think of it this way: God made you. “Naked came I into my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return,” said Job (Job 1:21) But will you do anything for God while you are here? Will He get a return on His initial investment (He made you), or His secondary investment (you were saved from your sin by the blood of Jesus)?
Will you build a memorial to Him in thanksgiving? Will you show love to someone else because they desperately need it? Can you bake a cake for someone? Will you whisper a word of encouragement? If you do anything “as unto the Lord”, then you have become more than what you were to begin with. God knows everything. God keeps a record of every word that we say and every action we do. In fact, He urges us to keep our good works secret, if we can, because He wants to reward us, Himself! (Matthew 6:2-4)
Your work doesn’t have to be perfect, or the best, or even stand the test of time. Time is part of this physical world, and one day, time will end. There is nothing we can make that will last beyond this world, except a friend; that is, a friend that you lead to the Lord. That friendship is something that will last forever, for both of you will live forever.
Don’t be discouraged if you have a desire to do something, but no one seems impressed. You must do it “as unto the Lord.” The act of doing the thing is your act of obedience. For God will use whatever you submit to Him. He will bless it, the same way he multiplied the two loaves and five fishes that the young boy offered, and then used it to feed 5,000 people. God’s blessing made the difference then, and He is still doing it today.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24) ESV
Do you doubt your ability to bring value to God? Do you wonder if anything you do will be good enough? Are you worried about rejection? Those thoughts do not come from the One who loves you.
God treasures our love, and rewards us for doing good. But the truth is that we really can’t bring anything new. He is God, after all. He made everything, even our own bodies. He gave us His breath in our lungs and His Spirit allows us to live. He even inspires some of our thoughts. If He rejected you for being who you are, then He would be rejecting the One who made you (Himself).
No, those concerns about our own worth drive us toward fear and inaction. When in doubt, LOOK OUT (outside of yourself). That clouded view comes from being stuck inside your own head. You are not the final authority when it comes to judging your worth. God determined your worth when He sent His Son to rescue you, and to save all of us. Jesus gave His very life for us. Never forget: God loves you!
Do you have an idea to do something good? Do it! Will it be hard? Will it be uncomfortable? Will it scare you? Don’t worry, for God will never let you down. If He has inspired you to do something, then He will give you the power to complete your task. All He needs is your obedience, and then He will help you finish it.
“And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8)
What are you planting, now that it is time to plant? Are you watching for good ground in which to sow your seeds? Are you making friends? Not only is that is a good way to “prepare the ground”, but you may discover incredible blessings from the new friendship!
Are you watching for opportunities to do something nice for someone? It doesn’t have to be huge, by the way. Just let someone go first. Return a cart for someone who has their hands full. Smile at a young mother who has been forced to take her kids shopping. Reach up and get the thing on the top shelf that a wheelchair-bound person needs. Pick up a piece of trash and make a more beautiful space for everyone.
Your kindness may give you an opening to speak candidly about what God has done for you. But if no opening comes, it may open the way for the person who comes after you, and in the meantime, you have helped to ease the suffering of someone else. We are all working together to point the way to Jesus. You don’t have to do it all by yourself. But you do have to watch and be ready to answer when you are asked why you are so joyful or why you have hope.
“. . .you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” (1 Peter 3:15 NLT)
And if you find some good soil, put in a seed or two, eh? If I’m not mistaken, it’s time to plant.
The Fullers Four 