Tending to the Flowers
written: March 2006
As I was tending to my mother-in-law’s flowers, it reminded me of how we are to care for the tasks that God has given to us.
First of all, my mother-in-law takes pride in her yard, as she should. You can tell that she spends time caring for her flowers and grass by watering, fertilizing, and weeding almost daily. Her yard is one that one could easily envy.
Well, while she is away for a long while in Kentucky, she has asked me to help water and care for her prize lawn. At first, when she was showing me what to do and how to do it, I was thinking, “Easy. No big deal.” But, to my surprise, God showed me His glory through this experience, and it became a “Big Deal”.
I found myself looking at her yard in a new light. Her begonias are absolutely beautiful! We had planted our flowers during the same week. But… you can tell who dug a hole, planted the flowers, watered and fertilized them, and then occasionally watered them vs. the one who dug the hole, prepared the ground with fertilizer, planted the begonias to the right height, watered, and then continued to care for and nurture them. Let’s just say that it wasn’t my begonias that look so luscious.
After being in awe of those well fertilized and cared for flowers, I began to take my task a little bit more serious.
She had mentioned a dry area in the grass that needed a little TLC. I took care of it, and then I began to search for other dry spots throughout the yard. To my surprise, and maybe hers too, there was some sun-scorched grass on the other side of the lawn. When I noticed it and thought about how Jany loves her yard, I wasn’t about to have the grass wither away on my watch. I grabbed the hose and saturated the ground with water.
These scenarios made me think about my task as a Christian here on earth. If I would cultivate the ground and put Christ (the fertilizer) before the plant (people or life), then my job will be easier because I would have put Him first.
See, as the scripture says in First Corin. 3:7-9, “So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. Now the one who plants and the one who waters are equal, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s co-workers.” That is a refreshing sound to hear that we are God’s co-workers. He didn’t put us here to sit around and do nothing, yet to work. And, not alone…He is always with us.
Just like I didn’t want the grass to die on my watch because I didn’t care for and commit to watering it, I don’t want it said that I didn’t do my best to show and tell others about God. It will be wonderful to hear God say, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.” Much like I imagine my mother-in-law looks at her yard, yes even see some flaws, but takes pleasure in what she has done. It is my desire for Christ to look upon me, and yes see my flaws, yet still take delight in what He has created in me.