Five Faith Lessons from the Garden

In “The Parable of the Weeds,” Jesus tells the story of an enemy who sowed weeds among the owner’s wheat. Instead of pulling the weeds immediately and risking the loss of the good wheat, Jesus advises to wait until the harvest. At that time, it will be easy to separate the weeds from the wheat. Likewise, when we submit ourselves to God and produce the fruit God intends for us, we too will look much different than those in the world around us.

As Jesus himself knew, there are many more lessons to be learned from the garden. Here are five more faith lessons you can learn from having a green thumb and digging your hands into the dirt.

Prepare the soil.
“Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew, and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times” (Mark 4:8).

Choosing the right place for your garden and taking the time to till the soil can help control weeds and break up clumpy soil. For a successful garden, it’s rarely good enough to simply throw seed on the ground. Rather, we need to plant it in good soil. Likewise, it’s not enough to simply hear the message of the gospel. We also need to live it in our lives.

Provide nourishment.
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).

As moisture gives life and prevents plants from shriveling, God’s word provides life and meaning to us. In return, we can say thanks to God by proclaiming the message of repentance, faith, and salvation to others.

Beware of weeds.
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

From the scorching sun to rascally rabbits, we must protect our crops from numerous dangers. In the same way, Christians are warned to “guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23).

Be diligent in your work.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12).

Planting a garden does not produce immediate results. In the same way, our prayers may not be answered overnight. Instead, we are called to possess patience and perseverance in prayer. Above all, we are to remain hopeful, trusting that the end result will be worth the wait.

Enjoy the harvest.
“He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:3).

When our lives are rooted in Christ, we are strong and stable, and if we remain in him, we will “bear much fruit”
(John 15:5).

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