A lesson from Gardening

I know many of you are putting away the gardening tools and enjoying the last of the fresh tomatoes and beans.  I don’t know much about gardening, but want to learn as we move to a house with a yard.

The scriptures speak often about the fruit in our lives being ‘fruit of the Spirit’, but like me in a garden, I don’t think we often know how this fruit is grown in our life.  This Sunday we are going to be talking about the scriptures that famously speaks of the “fruit of the Spirit”.  It says in Galatians 5:22-23:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 

There are several characteristics of fruit that make it a perfect metaphor for growing christian character.  Let’s look at a couple.

The conditions need to be carefully tended to grow fruit.  We have visited some of you gardeners this season at your homes.  I’m amazed at the amount of time and tender care you must put into having a harvest of fruit and vegetables.  All we can do, however, is to tend the conditions where the seed is planted and the fruit/vegetables are grown.  Our willpower or ability bears no factor in the actual growing of the fruit.  We simply pull weeds, water, and set the conditions for growth.  

Our character also needs this tender care.  As we spend time with the Triune God this fruit grows organically and evenly.   We should not put the burden of growth on our own shoulders, but this fruit is a work of the Spirit as we rest and abide in Him. 

Many of you know the wonderful parallel verse to the Galatians 5, passage in John 15.  Jesus tells us He is the vine and we are the branches: 

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

Here we have the most important aspect of ‘bearing fruit’: staying intimately linked to the source of life and truth.  But how do we do that?  Is it going to church?  Studying the Bible? Being friends and hanging out with the right people?  These things certainly help, but they are not the whole story, not even close.

When I was a student, I once tried to grow tomatoes in a patch of land at my rental house.  It was a lot of work.  I picked the location and started tilling the soil before the leaves had fully come out on the surrounding trees.  Once the leaves opened, I saw that the garden itself didn’t have adequate sunlight to ripen the tomatoes.  I had planted my tomato garden in the shade. The result was a really large tomato leafy plant with very little to no fruit.

Likewise, we can surround ourselves with everything and everyone we consider appropriate to growing fruit, but if our hearts are not taking a right position of surrender, trust, and love towards our Triune God, then we have cut ourselves from the true source of Life. The same way my tomatoes needed sun, we need His Light. It is through His Life in us, through the cultivation of a love relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that we can begin to bear the fruit described in Galatians 5. Without Him as the source, we could go through all the work of gardening without bearing the fruit.

Cultivating a love relationship with Him is the start of all fruit-bearing in a Christian’s life. This relationship starts by simply positioning your heart to receive His love.  Knowing you are loved by God unconditionally, grows your trust and love towards Him. 

There are practical ways you can cultivate this loving relationship with Him. I would suggest you stop striving and start listening.  He will speak to you in daily readings of His Word,  and also when you keep turning your heart to Him in humility and anticipation. Sometimes, He can speak into your needs and desires, just by you sitting quiet in His Presence – “be still and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10).

Maybe you can go for a walk and ask Him to speak to you.  Sit on a park bench or on your front porch and ask him to grow the love, patience, and kindness to the people you see walking by, or those suffering in another part of the world.  Have coffee with a friend who walks with God, ask questions about their spiritual life and learn from each other.

The result of bearing fruit is that there will be seed for the next generation to grow.  There is great joy in passing on the faith and fruit to children, friends, and neighbors.  As we grow and learn as a church, may each of us “stir up one another to love and good works.”  (Heb. 10:24)

We are grateful to be in this garden with you at Mariners’ Church, and look forward to many fruitful seasons ahead as we abide in Him together.  

Blessings and peace,

Rev. Todd and Dr. Christiane