Love in the Midst

Summertime provides me with a "happy place" in our backyard.  What has been a garden plot over the last seven years, was replaced this year with three raised garden beds.  Over the past several weeks, they have been supplying us with radishes, lettuce, cucumbers, beans, peas, and onions to supplement our food supply.  Still to come are the carrots, beets, corn, and watermelon.  These garden beds are positioned along the north fence of our lot, and each time I look out my kitchen window, they are there to make me smile.

Along with the vegetable garden, there are several flower beds which have developed over the years, as well as a beautiful array of pots, and a tiered planter, all there to add to my smiles.  Each year I try to add at least one perennial plant to my mix of annuals, to save on the planting for the following year.

There is one part of my summer experience which takes away from my smiles, and I have Adam and Eve to thank for them. . .weeds.  I know Eve often is the one given a "bad rap" for eating the first of the forbidden fruit, but if you read the account closely, you will see Adam was right there with her, and did nothing to deter or stop her.

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree 

was good for food and pleasing to the eye, 

and also desirable for gaining wisdom, 

she took some and ate it.  She also gave some to her husband, WHO WAS WITH HER, and he ate it.

~Genesis 3:6   

Later on, in verses 17 and 18 of the same chapter, God tells Adam the ground would now be cursed because of their sin, and there would be great toil in working the land, because of the thorns and thistles added to the soil.  Down through the ages, those thorns and thistles have multiplied into a vast supply of weeds which contaminate our fields, gardens, and flower beds.  

This year, we tore down the little house next to ours, leaving a large open lot which was filled in with dirt taken from a field.  In a matter of days, a nice touch of green sprang up across the lot, but unfortunately it was weeds, and not the grass we hoped would someday fill the space.  Over the past couple of days, these weeds were getting on my nerves, and I discovered they were quite easy to pull from the dirt after the rain showers we have been experiencing.  There is now a large garbage bag of pulled weeds to show for my efforts, and the rest were mowed over by our son today.  Out of sight for now, but you can bet they will be back in time.

As I was pulling away, I found myself comparing the weeds to the evil at work in our world.  These days it seems to be multiplying faster than the weeds, and I pondered what I could do to make a difference.  It was then I spotted a little rock tucked neatly among the weeds.  It even had a bit of a "heart shape", and therein was the answer to the question in my mind.  Love.

We may not see it on the news channels, but there is still so much love at work in our world.  Although overpowered by reports of all things bad, if you look hard, you will find it.  If not, be the one to plant a few seed of love in someone's life, and start producing fruit. . .fruit which will grow because God is behind the process, just like He lovingly takes the seeds I plant in the spring and produces the vegetables and flowers I so enjoy.  

Along with the love, throw in some seeds of the other fruit of the Spirit. . .joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.  In the end, we can be content knowing these fruit will one day overpower all evil, as Jesus introduces His new kingdom. . .the one we pray for each time we recite the Lord's prayer. . ."Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."  Yes, my friends, there are better days ahead. . .no evil, and I'm pretty sure the weeds will be gone, too!