Weeds and Flowers

I have a black thumb. A pang of panic surges through my heart when I’m asked to care for someone else’s plants. I struggle to keep flowers and plants alive and, while I love the idea of having a lush garden from which I can pick fruits and vegetables and herbs for cooking, I find myself lacking the patience, diligence, and skill set to do so.

Recently while on a walk, I saw a little yellow flower popping out of the grass and thought to myself “that’s so pretty” until, a few steps later, I realized it was probably a weed that was growing somewhere it wasn’t intended.

“A weed is defined as a wild plant that is growing where it is not wanted and stealing nutrients from the desired flowers in the garden.” (Thank you Reference.com)

It might be difficult for the untrained eye to distinguish between a weed and a flower, but an expert gardener will be able to spot the effects of the troublesome plant and take the necessary measures to restore the garden back to health.

What does your garden look like? 

I think it’s vital for us, as leaders, to survey the soil of our lives consistently. Whether you’re leading a large corporation or church, your small family or business or just yourself, you’re the leader of something. If your life were a garden how would you describe its state? Is it run down and unkempt because you’ve been distracted by other things? Have weeds taken over a section? Is it getting too much sun? Too much or too little water? Is the land too vast for the plans to be properly cared for? Or do you have too many plants planted in a small area?

The Lord cares so deeply about us and wants our hearts to be fertile soil in which he can work, leading to beautiful and fruitful growth. But we are responsible for caring for and monitoring the state of our garden. If there are unhealthy habits in your life, I encourage you to root those out. Kick that person who’s consistently leading you away from the things of God to the curb. If your schedule has gotten out of hand, pushing your time with God to the back of your mind, consider rearranging some things. Let’s tend to the soil of our hearts this week, creating a fertile place for God’s word to take root in us.