“Your
words water things,” our pastor said Sunday morning.
Immediately,
I grabbed my little notebook and began to scribble. We plant so many seeds in
the garden of our lives. But, others plant seeds there, as well.
Ultimately,
it’s our garden. We get to determine what grows there, we choose what to tend
to; what to water.
To
which seeds, seedlings or towering trees are we giving our attention and
energies?
In
the Bible we read, “Another parable put
he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which
sowed good seed in his field: But while the men slept, his enemy came and sowed
tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and
brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.: - Matthew 13:24-26 (KJV)
This
scripture came to mind, simply to enforce the point that other people, whether
we know them and trust them, or not, plant seeds – good or bad, in our garden.
In
this parable, it was the man’s enemy planting tares (a noxious weed) in with
his wheat to mess with the man’s harvest.
Whether
the person sowing weeds in our garden is an enemy, or a well-meaning friend, a
parent, a boss or coworker, a pastor or a neighbor you meet in passing along
the road – and whether they plant the weeds knowingly or not, weeds will spring
up in our garden.
Seeds,
weeds or good plants, are otherwise known as words and idea.
Which
plants are getting our attention?
The
weeds are symbolic of anything that would distract us from what God wants to do
in our lives. He gave us life, when we’re born again, we give Him back our
lives, to do with as He pleases. Because, what He pleases is, ultimately,
what’s best for us; it’s where we’ll prosper and grow to be more and more like
Him. It’s where we’ll feel content and joyful; even happiest.
The
weeds are symbolic of the problems that come up in our lives; problems set to
distract us from living.
Those
distractions can be different for all of us, but there are many we face in
common. Though I’ve yet to meet a father who’s been distracted by it, I know
moms who suffer intensely because of the empty nest syndrome; sometimes to the
point of despair. It can derail us and send us in search of a new identity.
Demands
for super-performance at a job, or at school, or sicknesses, or losses – can all
distract us from even knowing who we are, let alone what we’re supposed to be
doing.
We’ve
all heard a phrase that says something like, “Don’t tell God how big your
problems are, tell your problems how big your God is in the midst of them!”
Are
we focusing on, (watering), giving our attention to – our problems, or to our
God?
How
do we refocus our attention?
Oh
yeah; get our heads and hearts into God’s Word. What’s up with that? Do I think
all of our answers are in there? You bet I do! I believe it with my whole
heart.
Trust in the LORD with all of thine
heart, and lean not unto thine own understand. In all they ways acknowledge
him, and he shall direct they paths. - Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)
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| (Picture from Victory 91.5) |
