My daughter has a garden in our backyard, I’ve written about it before. It’s her special responsibility and she feels she has contributed to the family every time one of her vegetables makes its presence in a salad or on the plate.

She tends and waters it twice a day and it’s a special time between her and her great-grandpa who regularly comes to provide sage wisdom. Often, it appears she hasn’t  watered despite spending the time daily hose in hand.

This made it time for some mom investigation.

After spending time spying, thinking I was going to catch her in some extravagant fib I discovered she was indeed watering. But her water wasn’t going to the right place. You see water fell on the leaves rather than the foundation and the soil of the plant leaving it quenched. 

As I was praying regarding the social climate the Holy Spirit said gently, “Water the soil.”

If water for the garden is like love for the human, I believe we often water the wrong place. We water what can be seen rather than the root or soil. Our worth or wether or not we should be watered, yours or mine, is not determined by a skin tone, a political affiliation, possessions, wealth, or an interest external choice. Our worth simply is because God said it is.

My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, tells me to LOVE. Just like my daughter was told to water the soil. I am to Love the Lord my God and Love others as myself.

This begs the question of what is love? Here is a good place to start.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-13 (NIV)

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Just like I felt a need to investigate my daughters watering actions. It’s time that each of us, especially those of us rooted in the Lord, do some serious investigation.

Am I patient and kind in my action and word? Do I want what someone else has or boast proudly in myself rather than the Lord? Do I honor others for loves sake and not my own? Am I angry and focused on the past rather than making positive change for the future? Am I delighting in good and things that are true? Am I protecting, trusting, hoping, persevering?
Do I recognize I do not know the whole story and that I have limits; that I will pass away and this opportunity to love others well will cease? Will I know love when it is right before me face to face? Will I allow love to be the greatest of all?

Prayer: Lord I don’t know the words to say. Allow Your Holy Spirit to speak.