But this year, we did all the work. I cleared the box of all the weeds that had grown up during the winter (Yes, in Southern California weeds grow all year round). We picked out seeds that we have had good success with in the past (Swiss Chard!), as well as some new ones we were excited about. I spaded the dirt, made the rows, and sowed the seeds according to the directions, with the help of the kids. We watered them regularly and thoroughly.
And after all that work? See for yourselves...
| Nothing! Absolutely Nothing! |
Well, not nothing, I guess. There is a nice healthy crop of weeds coming up along the back.
What did we do wrong? Should we have started earlier? Later? Does the box needs some soil amendment? Was it just an oddly cold May? Did we not water enough? Too much? Did a critter come and eat all of our seeds?
Ultimately, we will probably never know, but we will miss having those fresh greens were looking forward to all summer.
All this gets me thinking about the farming imagery Jesus was so fond of using. He talked a lot about reaping and sowing, plants growing or dying, abundant harvests. Often the sowing and reaping are illustrations of the work of the Kingdom that all His followers are called to. We like to think that it is a simple equation that if you work hard for the Kingdom, you will see great benefit, but all too often that is not the case.
Speaking of sowing and reaping for the Kingdom, Jesus tells His disciples, "'Don’t you have a saying, "It’s still four months until harvest"? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying "One sows and another reaps" is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.'” (John 4:35-38)
Those "others" who did the work ahead of the disciples were the prophets of the Old Testament who spoke God's truth and called His people back to obedience. Their reward for such faithful hard work? Mockery, slander, abuse, and even execution. John the Baptist set the stage for Jesus to bring the Kingdom. What did that bring him? Imprisonment and beheading at the hands of Herod.
As a person working in ministry, I have seen times of sowing and reaping, times of reaping what others have sown, times of sowing with the hope of others reaping, and times, like our garden box, of sowing with no discernible harvest. At those latter times, I am tempted to despair. Is it worth the blood sweat and tears to look out at a barren field? I wish I could say I always answer with a triumphant, "Yes!" But that would be dishonest. I doubt, I complain, I yell at God, I want to give up.
What keeps bringing me back, though, is remembering that I am not the Lord of the harvest. It is not up to me to produce results. The building of the Kingdom is not measured by earthly results, but by the faithful service of God's people. He will produce the fruit. We may never see the results of our work in this lifetime, but we can trust that God is still at work, even when the fields are barren.
