“DO YOU HAVE A GREEN THUMB?”
During my prayer time and preparation for this sermon, the Lord kept talking to my heart about gardening. You have to understand that when it comes to having a green thumb, I flunk in that area very poorly. I have tried on several occasions to plant flower seeds only to be greatly disappointed at the end result, of having it NOT grow. . I have come to the conclusion that I could kill off a chia pet and make a rock garden whither! In fact anyone in my family, especially my daughter will tell you how bad I am at maintaining a plants life.
One Mother’s day my husband and daughter decided instead of getting me the traditional Mothers day plant, they would purchase a cactus instead. They both figured, “how hard could it be for mom to take care of a cactus?” I laughed of course when they gave me the plant and I thought also that this plant would be around for a long time. Well I watered that cactus and I thought I was doing a good job with it, and then I had taken a real good look at it about a month later, and saw that this cactus was shrinking! That’s right! It was literally shrinking! I couldn’t figure it out. My daughter was flabbergasted when I said I shrunk the cactus and it did not look like there would be any hope for it. So my child quickly sprang into action! She snatched the cactus from my grasp and ran to her room with it. I just figured, “Good! Now I don’t have to worry about taking care of it.” Months passed and not once did my daughter talk about the cactus, it was out of sight and -out of mind in my book.
One washday I was carrying the clothes-basket upstairs and normally I would just leave my daughters clothes outside her bedroom door for her to put away. This particular day I just walked into the room. Something had caught my eye by her bedroom window, (if you are sitting there saying “I know what was near her window!” you would be absolutely right!) There in full bloom was the cactus. It had beautiful red and orange small flowers on it and it looked healthy as could be. I was amazed! Needless to say that was the very first question I asked her when she came home from school that day.
I said: “Rachel, I saw the cactus. Is that the same one you and dad gave me for Mothers day?’
“Yes” she said.
Now I needed to know what secret this 10yr. old had for growing this plant so pretty. “Rachel, how did you make this plant grow so healthy looking? What did you do that I didn’t do?”
Mom she said; “You had it sitting on top of the refrigerator. You never really paid it much attention to it. And didn’t you once say that you didn’t like plants anyway?”
I said; “Yea. I did says that didn’t I? But how did you make this plant look like this?”
Rachel thought about that for a moment and said; “Mom, I gave this plant what I thought it needed. I watered it and gave it a lot of attention. I learned it needed to be near the sun, but not right in front of the sunshine. And also I prayed for it, especially when I first brought it up to my room. Besides I Love plants!”
“……Out of the mouth of babes! A child shall lead them!”
Galatians 6:7
For whatever a man sows, that which he will reap also.
I sowed seeds of uncaring into that plant. That cactus shrunk because of the way I treated it. Now lets take this a step further…
Matthew 7:17-19
Jesus said:
“Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire”
1. When you plant dishonesty- You will reap distrust
2. If you plant selfishness- You will reap loneliness.
3. If you plant pride- You will reap destruction
4. If you plant envy- You will reap trouble
5. If you plant laziness- You will reap stagnation
6. If you plant bitterness-You will reap isolation.
7. If you plant greed-You will reap loss
8. If you plant gossip-You will reap enemies
9. If you plant worries-You will reap wrinkles
10. If you plant sin-You will reap guilt.
Job 4
Even as I have seen,
Those who plow iniquity
And sow trouble reap the same.
Proverbs 6
Perversity is in his heart,
He devises evil continually,
He sows discord.
Proverbs 16
A perverse man sows strife,
And a whisperer separates the best of friends.
That definitely would be an unattractive plant. Just like my shrunken cactus.
My daughter however sowed seeds of LOVE into that cactus to make it grow and thrive.
The Good fruit is found in Galatians 5:22-23
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control
1. If you plant honesty, You will reap trust.
2. If you plant goodness, You will reap friends.
3. If you plant humility, You will reap greatness.
4. If you plant perseverance, You will reap victory.
5. If you plant consideration, You will reap harmony.
6. If you plant hard work, You will reap success.
7. If you plant forgiveness, You will reap reconciliation.
8. If you plant openness, You will reap intimacy.
9. If you plant patience, You will reap improvements.
10. If you plant faith, You will reap miracles.
Proverbs 11
The wicked man does deceptive work,
But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.
Hosea 10
Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
So, be careful what you sow{plant} now….
It will be determined what you will reap tomorrow
