As a young child, I watched my grandma as she tended her garden. She would till the ground to plant the seeds and wait for each seed to take off and grow. I am sure she wished the vegetables would spring up overnight, but she knew that it took time for them to grow and be ready to pick. We walked together through the garden, and I do not remember seeing her frustrated at or impatient with the vegetables as they grew.
Sometimes, we would see some of the plants not doing so well. Weeds threatened the young sprouts. Vegetables showed signs of bugs or squirrels having enjoyed them. Grandma did her best to protect her garden, but sometimes these things were unpreventable. My grandma knew that, even with all the work she put into tending her garden, she still had to rely on the Lord to bring enough rain and sunshine to allow the crops to grow. Grandma had to put in the work AND depend on God’s grace and help to reap a good harvest from her garden each year.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and 11 says, To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:…
As a mother of two teenagers and one wild 9-year-old, I can say that it takes time to train and teach children. I cannot expect my 9-year-old son to have the same maturity level as my 14-year-old son. Maturity should happen, but it takes time. No matter how much milk my youngest may drink each day, he will not grow to his full height overnight—at least, I hope not! Growth takes time, work, and patience.
As parents, it takes time and effort to rear our children. We must teach them that sin is bad and that we must always obey God’s Word. We should take them to Sunday school, encourage them to go soulwinning, and push them to do their devotions each day; but we also must be an example to them in our own spiritual walk. Our efforts are in vain unless, like Grandma, we also are relying on God’s grace and help to see our children grow. In fact, are we growing, too? Are we just expecting those around us to grow and do right but neglecting our own growth?
Each person grows at a different rate. We each are running an individual race and will struggle with various things. There will be circumstances that come into our lives that we cannot control, like those bugs or squirrels in Grandma’s garden. Therefore, we must guard our hearts with Scripture to be ready to respond correctly when troubles come. The Bible reminds us in Ephesians 6:11, Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
How is your growth? Are you relying on God to help you grow and to help you enable others to grow? Are you taking time to hide God’s Word in your heart? Are you being an encouragement or a hinderance to others’ growth through the example of your own personal growth?
May we take this as a challenge to continue serving the Lord by cultivating our own growth through hard work while depending on God’s help. Keep growing!
by Mandy Harper
