Scripture
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.”
GALATIANS 6:7-8
“He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.”
PROVERBS 12:11
“He who tills his land will have plenty of food, but he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.”
PROVERBS 28:19
Quotes/Color
“The richest soil, if uncultured, produces the rankest weeds.”
Plutarch
“It is of course no accident, that virtues – like vegetables – require cultivation.”
Dr. Scott Moore
“Don’t water weeds.”
Unknown
Context
I volunteer at the Houston Rodeo. So I am pretty good at acting like I know what I am talking about when it comes to agriculture. I stand out in front of rabbit and bee exhibits and tell people fun facts for literally hours at a time for 3 weeks a year.
But the truth is, and you probably could figure this out on your own, but I know almost nothing about agriculture… That’s right. Soft hands. All hat, no cattle. All bark, no bite. All sizzle, no steak. I’m an absolute poser… But I’ve come to terms with that. I am self-aware. I know. But I’m having fun acting like I know stuff. And that’s what matters.
It’s just fun to wear my boots and my vest and my cowboy hat and act like I’m a cowboy for 3 weeks out of the year. It is what it is.
I just stand in front of my booth and tell people facts. I know like 5-10 facts that blow people’s minds and I just say them over and over again all day for like 8 hours.
What if they ask any follow up questions, you ask?
Great question… I almost never know the answer. Cause I know nothing. I just stand there and say my fun facts.
“Did you know a queen bee lays around 2,000 eggs a day?”
“Did you know that Texas’ dairy industry produces more than 12 billion pounds of milk each year?”
“Did you know that Americans eat 8 BILLION chickens a year?”
Real facts, folks. 8 billion chickens.
Application
Something I do know though, is that only plants you want to stay alive should be cultivated and watered. Your tomato plant and your mint growing on your porch – not the weeds that are infesting your flower beds.
You give attention and nutrition to plants that you want to flourish.
What are You Cultivating?
Which begs the question, what in your life are you giving the most time and attention to?
Do you invest heavily fleshly things? Money, status, the wrong relationships? Do you pour a lot of time, attention and energy into material things?
Careful… Those things you’re tending to day in and day out, they will grow. And the “fruits”, when they grow strong and mature, aren’t what you expect.
Or, instead, are you instead tenderly investing in, cultivating and nourishing the Holy Spirit that Jesus left with you as a follower of Christ?
The Holy Spirit that grows the Christian virtues of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. These are the things that need to grow in our lives.
Don’t Water Weeds
Weeds, similar to desirable plants, grow when you take care of them. Water them and they grow. Fertilize them and do they ever grow.
And if you do this enough… Weeds can grow so much that they may in fact grow taller and stronger than the plants you wish to flourish in the first place. They’ll steal the sunlight from above and the nutrients from below, choking out your precious asparagus.
So here is the question.
Are you watering the wrong things in your life? Are you watering weeds that suffocate and inhibit Godly growth?
Cultivate and Tenderly Care for the Spirit
Instead of watering weeds that suffocate, nourish the Holy Spirit that brings good fruit. Spend time considering what would encourage it to grow. Feed it and water it often. Ensure it is given sufficient light and space. Keep a careful eye on weeds that may be surrounding it and pluck them out as soon as they sprout.
If you do these things, the Holy Spirit will bring fruits into your life that YOU wouldn’t otherwise be able to produce.
Something to Chew On:
- What do you carefully invest in? What things in your life are you nourishing so that they can grow?
- Is it possible you are watering what you may know are “weeds” (bad habits, selfish things, things that don’t bring glory to God)? What are they, and why do you think you’re nourishing them?
- Is the Holy Spirit cultivated and nourished in your life? Do you implement rhythms and habits that encourage its growth?
GreatValue Proverbs:
Don’t water weeds. They’ll grow.
