During the Summertime, we all get a little spoiled. I love gardening and it’s typically during this season when I get to see all the little seeds I planted bloom. All that beauty that remained in seed form for so long comes bursting up, sometimes a little too eagerly, out of the soil. From the perspective of the seed, it just has to trust that either it was planted in just the right spot (barring MiracleGrow) or that it knows where it likes to grow best.
Trust is an aspect of gardening that never ceases to amaze me. If I am the one planting the seed must trust me. If the seed is planting I must trust it. Patience and timing constitute the key to learning how our mutual faith works out (or doesn’t). I’ve heard that it’s been said that it takes up to seven years for your yard to get just the way you like it. Into years six and seven, I’ve been there long enough to gain a measure of perspective about where and when to plant. Often, after learning where certain plants enjoy growing, I just scatter seeds and see what takes off.
Mat 13 The Parable of the Sower
13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Quote
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.”
― The Secret Garden
Summary
I love how this allegory is straightforward. As a gardener, I get it. – Especially since I’m still battling rather weedy areas of my yard. Intelligent, faith-filled waiting hinges on perspective. It’s that bit that assures us of our faith. By changing our perspective from one of need to one of trust the work of growing changes from one of guesswork to one of confidence. We take the onus off ourselves and exchange it for one of accepting, trusting faith.
