My pastor once preached a sermon on hate. One of the statements he made in that message was, “If you love flowers, you have to hate the weeds.” I am finding this to be truer today than it ever was.
The garden was always my mom’s territory. She could help the flowers bloom so beautifully. She would spend hours pruning and weeding (or coaxing one of her children or grandchildren to do it). Now that she is no longer with us, I find that the weeds take over the garden. Due to my physical limitations and—let’s face it—my disdain for the task, I have tried to hire the young folks to do the job of weeding for me. I even mentioned to one friend that the benefit of growing up and having blessings is that we can hire someone to do the jobs we hate. As I laughed about the conversation, God began to convict my heart. While it is true that we can hire out the less desirable tasks around the house, there are some jobs only we can do.
God tells us in Galatians 6:4-5, But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. He has some burdens (jobs) that are ours alone to bear. Our experiences have uniquely prepared each of us to be the one to bring the Gospel to specific people. We cannot hire that out for someone else to do.
Those who have never experienced that feeling of being used of God in someone’s life at just the right time must keep on working at it. Spreading the Word and being the light is not always glorious, but when we see the fruit of our labors, we will realize the truth in the statement, …and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone,… What an awesome feeling it is to know that we were able to fill a need for someone that no one else could have fulfilled!
As I look at the flower beds and praise God that there are teenagers who are willing to be hired to pull the weeds, I can look forward to the day the flowers will spring forth again. At the same time, I must surrender to the conviction of Matthew 9:37-38 which says, Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. We cannot hire out the tasks God intended for each of us to complete. Let us ask ourselves, “Am I being the laborer God needs for His work?”
by Melissa Caperton
