Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. [1 Corinthians 3:7]
It’s that time of year for many of us. The season to plant. Which means lots of flowers, vegetables, and a multitude of other edibles along with an array of lovely-to-look-at buds and blooms carefully placed into the ground.
We gardeners are an optimistic bunch. My beloved and I have had some sort of veggie plot and an assortment of pots filled with flowers for nearly every planting season of our married life. Some years we were able to freeze and can quarts and quarts of produce for our growing family. Other years we were thankful to have enough goodies to eat throughout the summer and fall. Given the unpredictable weather with its random acts of too dry, too wet, too warm, too cold, we do our best to patiently wait for a harvest.
All this plant pondering got me to thinking—aside from those things we may poke into a pot or mound of dirt, what else do we plant? Turns out, plenty. Consider the possibilities.
Plant an idea. Ever made a suggestion for an easier or more efficient way to solve a problem? Sometimes our ideas fall flat, yet I’m sure you can you recall a time when your willingness to speak up was greatly appreciated by the recipient. We may never know what will happen with the idea-seeds we plant. Nonetheless, maybe what your little corner of the world really needs is for you to share your knowledge and wisdom in a way that honors and respects the dignity of the other person.
Plant positivity. To tell someone to have a nice day is a nice thing to do. To be a bearer of sincere and intentional encouragement is a win for everyone. Given all the negativity in our present culture, I believe we’d be downright amazed at how far a positive attitude can go to make life more peace-filled and pleasant, especially amid the hard stuff we all have to deal with.
Plant kindness and compassion. To be kind is to plant seeds of consideration and thoughtfulness. Lord knows we could use more of both. Yet to be compassionate is take these to an even deeper level. People who genuinely extend compassion to a fellow human being understand what it means to ‘be present with’ rather than to skim along the surface of life.
Plant seeds of love. The best of the best of the best. Seeds of love have the potential to emerge—in God’s time and plan—into exquisite fruit. Not just any fruit. The kind that improves the quality of life for you. And me. And the stranger we encounter on any given day. Seeds of love come in an unlimited variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, however, when we allow the Divine to tend to those we plant with care, the results are often beyond anything wonderful we could have dreamed or imagined.
Whether we are elbow deep in potting soil or planting seeds in a conversation with a neighbor, there is one important lesson experienced gardeners never forget—our job is finite. Yes we are to plant, maybe even water, but beyond that we are to pray and trust. Ultimately, it is only God who causes the growth.
What kinds of seeds do I plant?
How do I feel about planting positivity, compassion, and love?
Can I trust God to cause the growth and produce the fruit?
