I came across this scripture while reading the Garden within me by Dr Anita Phillips.

The book itself is a book that speaks about the heart being our garden and whatever we get to experience from ourselves and the world gets to experience from us is a fruit of what we plant in our garden. An analogy I definitely resonate with. 

I reflected a bit more around this notion as I travel back from a trip where I was meeting for the first time a new team I have just joined. I recalled the two conversations I had had with two of my mentors before leaving and how those conversations were so different from each other which is exactly why I love having a board of mentors. They all bring diverse perspectives and experiences to life and that really helps me formulate a rounded strategy towards my personal goals. One particular conversation I want to talk about is where one of them said to me, “go out there and have fun, enjoy the moment and don’t be too strict , explore.” This is of course in the context of knowing me very well and anticipating how I am likely to filter certain things from a specific angle.  Fast forward to being here, this statement became such a good filter for me in deciding how I would show up. For whatever reason and for every moment I wanted to default to myself I remembered this statement and extended myself a little bit more than I would have. 

The reason this is, is because I am generally an introvert and I normally filter a lot of social engagements carefully choosing what energy surrounds me carefully so I don’t tire too quickly, fog or deafen myself . I also try to avoid certain environments because of how quickly they can empty my social battery but in this instance I was challenged to go the extra social mile. Why am I telling you all this? Well going through this book and coming across this scripture has reminded me about how planting generally works. Most often we start good with good intentions but good intentions attract also bad intentions. Where there is good soil, weeds also grow. The Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43) speaks of a farmer’s enemy who sows weeds among the wheat. Jesus instructs that both should be allowed to grow together until the harvest, when the weeds will be gathered and burned, and the wheat collected into the barn.

What does this mean socially? Sometimes work and our jobs requires of us to be in spaces where we would not necessarily want to be in but what we can do is plant seeds to the fruits we want to grow in our gardens as we go out into the world. Fill up your garden with all the seeds to fruits you want to harvest but don’t only end there recognise that some weeds will grow around your plants and there are weeds you will need to let grow together with your plants as scripture tells us. This is not necessarily acceptance but strategy that is focused on the bigger picture and timing. 

What is powerful and a lesson for me in this scripture is the latter part, “a time to pluck what is planted”. This means when you are patient and not distracted by the weeds the time to harvest will come. 

Even the parable of the shower teaches us something about being good soil, Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20 and Luke 8:4-15) tell of a story where Jesus uses the example of a farmer scattering seed to explain how people receive God’s word. The seed that falls on the path is taken by birds, on rocky ground it withers, among thorns it is choked, and on good soil it produces a bountiful harvest.

I am encouraged by both scripture and this book to work only on the soil and make sure that it is good soil, because when the soil is good there will be bountiful harvest despite the weeds that may be part of the growing process. 

My encouragement to you too is to not be distracted by the weeds, focus on the soil because the word of God is your guarantee that you will yield bountifully!  

Be blessed, Happy #ThirstyThursday 

#QuenchMyThirst #ThirstyThursday 

Thank God, Jesus pursued me.

LM

Lungie@quenchmythirst.life