October 29, 2023

It’s strawberry season in Florida. All the farmers have their berry plants in the ground soon to grow full and produce the most delicious fruit. One of the local markets, which grows some of the best-tasting strawberries, offered bare root plants for sale in their store. I couldn’t resist; how wonderful will it be to grow my own strawberries? One thing I’ve learned by planting my own garden is that it takes a lot of plants to replace what you would normally buy at the market. You initially think that a few plants will feed your family, but most of the time, you can barely get enough for a meal even when collecting the produce over several days. In the spring, I’m doubling the size of my garden!

We can learn much about the truths of God’s word by comparing it to gardening and other things that happen naturally by the hand of God. Jesus used parables to teach his disciples about the kingdom of God. Like my story about the strawberries, God entices us to follow him, gives us the Holy Spirit when we repent and accept Jesus as our Savior, and then our desire to bring others into his kingdom increases; we want to see more. So, we cultivate the soil, plant seeds, fertilize, water, and try to keep the weeds to a minimum. Within a few days, those seeds we planted begin to take root and eventually grow into a plant that is capable of producing fruit. Once we see the process working, the excitement creates a desire to see more fruit produced, and thus, we plant a more extensive garden. 

We are in season; if you’re not gardening, consider why. You’re not required to do any work for the kingdom of God, but how can you sit there and watch while others toil? I dare you to plant a few seeds; once you see them start to grow, nothing will stop you from doing it again. It’s a great feeling to watch God’s hand in someone’s life that you helped bring near to Jesus. 

And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Luke 8:8