Religion of the Garden Variety – Part IV

The success of a garden depends upon three major factors: (1) good seeds, (2) properly prepared soil and (3) moisture.  Indifference toward any of the three will most certainly result in a low yield.  Spiritually speaking, growth emerges from prayer and meditation, self-evaluation, and knowledge and application of the Bible.  Failure to utilize either of the three will most certainly inhibit one’s quest toward discipleship development.  In the spiritual garden of life, we should not attempt to tackle all of our issues at once.  Perhaps, it would be better to plan a strategic approach to eliminating our liabilities of character and improving upon our strengths. 

After preparing the soil and planting, gardeners have to pay close attention to the subtleties and monotony of growth.  There is no way around weeding, even in the burning July sun.  Birds of the air and insects on the ground are more than the backdrop of nature’s tapestry.  The former digs and eats seeds.  The latter preys upon leaves.  Worms also like plants.  Danger lurks within any garden.  Small yet forceful dangers exist in large numbers of these “enemies” of the gardener.  In the character realm, we consider the “termites” of our daily bad habits that eat away at our strengths and the seeds of our dreams and goals.  In an attempt to weed out these character defects, we give daily attention and discipline to our desire and efforts to change and grow.

Inevitably, gardens and the possibility of gaining a fruitful harvest forces the farmer to have faith.  He cannot control the weather.  Torrential rains may come and flood his crops.  An early frost may destroy his plants, particularly those that require heat to grow.  A protracted lack of rain may cause a drought, which in turn chokes the life out of the garden.  Whereas the garden needs heat and water, the farmer does not control the balance of these elements, notwithstanding the potential of irrigation.  If he tries to work around the weather, he merely makes himself anxious and possibly depressed.  Eventually, he must leave the yield of his garden in the hands of Almighty God.

As it relates to spiritual growth, gardens demonstrate the process of discernment, determination and development that we engage in our desire to become disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Death to self is central to personal development and spiritual growth (Luke 9:23), just as the death of seeds is quintessential to the production of fruit and vegetables (John 12:24).  As the farmer toils the land in preparation, plowing, seeding, weeding and harvesting, believers till the field of their minds and hearts in order to grow into Christ’s character.