I walked behind my rugged, hard working father as he dropped
the seeds into the rows of furrowed soil.
I had walked behind the wagon after the first plowing throwing rocks
into the wagon, rocks that would hinder the roots from sinking deep into the rich black soil of
our 80 acre farm. He let me help but I
knew I only did what was expected and had no love for the process , no
connection with the earth he had worked so hard to cultivate and clear. I dropped my seeds into the ground counting
them and spacing them as instructed. He
worked long days lifting, mixing, smoothing cement on his knees and then came
home to do the work of garden and farm.
He found purpose and joy in seeing the earth bring forth food and cows
grow strong and fat to put meat on our table.
I did not. I found the garden and
farm to be the work to get through before real joy and freedom could be
enjoyed. So I helped but did not
care. I think I may have trampled as many seeds as I planted, I
may have left more rocks than I should and probably let many beans go to wood
in my haste to hurry the picking. My
help may have been harm and my sloth and careless work decreased the yield and
hindered the soil in which it grew. I am
not sure he knew my neglect but he always encouraged my help and impatiently
instructed, though I cared only to know the task and get it done.
And now in our own family soul garden, some of
these helpers follow behind with hearts unattached and joy unfelt, going
through the motions of planting spiritual seeds. This apathy is really no apathy at all but a
silent opposition to the sower and His garden.
They are scattering out more than they have gathered in from detached
labors. They have trampled seeds with boots dirty on the outside but no strength or
will to work in the flesh that fills them.
Some have neglected beans at
harvest time until they become wooden from our outward show without inward devotion. But they think themselves as I did, good
helpers because they have not said no, have not burned fields or set locust
loose on His carefully tended garden. There are many other ways to hinder
growth and fruit. But to not love the
work is to not share the gardeners heart.
Choosing to leave the rocks and weeds that he would have cleaned out,
reveals a contempt for the work. They
walk behind until they are off this soul farm and can go their own way. They stumble where they could have walked and
scatter where they could have gathered ,and most of all they serve a master of
another field without committing to his cause.
He need not hire, for their apathy does his work for him. But the sincere Farmer does not make them
stay beyond their time, but lets them leave to find other work. For he knows
they can not be swayed to appreciate His soil and toil without experiencing the
harsh master they unknowingly serve. He will let them see the crops they will grow
without a Farmers heart. I too, left the farm to find a joy without
the Gardener,to find the ugly crop of
unquenching thirst and even death, stumbling over the rocks my apathy left and
choking in the weeds I had neglected to pull.
I saw my apathy exposed as stubborn rebellious soil inside a pot that
bore the picture of a farmers
friend. But He bid me back to His
planting, tending work where I now share
His love for the crops He tends. When I stumble now, I know his steady arm and
find Him ready to restore me to my work. And they can too. He is still carefully
planting and plowing welcoming them to share His work and His joy in
following behind with a heart of flesh
and not of stone. And those of our crop
who have found this fleshly heart and have the Farmer's vision are sowing seeds
of hope and comfort, nourishing my heart
and mind even while they toil for the Master Gardener.
The ways of the Lord are right;
the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them. Hosea 14:9
the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them. Hosea 14:9
He who is not with Me is
against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters. Luke 11:23