Lessons from my Garden

I wanted to share with you my two favorite plants in my garden. I think they're spectacular! Here they are:

 

Aren't they beauties?  I'm pretty sure that you must be thinking that I've totally lost my mind.  Ok, so you may have thought that long before now :)  Yes, I understand that these little plants have absolutely no apparent beauty but oh! the lessons the Father taught me through them!

You see, two short weeks ago, I was ready to pull these plants up by their roots and throw them to the curbside for the trash men.  I just couldn't do it.  I can't explain why but I couldn't give up on them. As I knelt over the ground, picking weeds, I began to see a very important lesson unfold.  

Let me tell you about these plants.  The one on the left had a really harsh go of it this winter.  It got too cold and that cold damaged its limbs.  The one on the right was handled harshly, having its roots pulled out of the ground by someone carelessly running the hose across it. 

It occurred to me that these plants are a lot like people.  All too often I hear, "well, they certainly don't know the Lord. Just look at how they're "fill in the blank"."  "Look"....judge the outside...and determine that there's no life inside.  Maybe, just maybe, those people are like these plants.  Maybe they have experienced a cold spell spiritually.  Or maybe because of a traumatic experience, a deep hurt or some other unexpected experience that is totally out of their control,  they got cold and grew away from the Son... and it shows on the outside. 

Possibly they are like the plant on the right. That hose carried life sustaining water but placed in the hands of someone who handled it carelessly, it was misused and damage was done.  The Bible says that the Bible is a two-edged sword and all too often we wield that sword in a way that cuts and damages. Whether intentionally or not, the outcome is the same. 

Funny thing about both plants. If you look closely....real closely...you'll see signs of life and of hope.  

Do you see?? ..new green leaves!  There is a long way to go but there is life.  What both plants need is pruning, extra nutrients and a whole lot of patience.  And that is what most people need. Instead of our condemnation and assumptions, they need for us to take some time and really see them.  They may need extra fellowship or prayer, pruning from God's Word and time.
God cares about a fallen sparrow, numbers the hairs on our heads and instructs us to consider the lilies.  I absolutely believe He put this lesson in my  path to remind me...people are worth going the extra mile for!  Who has God placed in your path that you might minister to today?