1 John 4:9 In this, the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His own son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
Imagine this… You’re standing in a beautiful, verdant garden flourishing with life. Lush green foliage surrounds you, and you can practically see the plants growing before your eyes. A soft sprinkle of rain begins, gently misting the surface of the earth with small droplets of life-giving water. Who makes all of this life possible?
God sends the rain to nourish gardens. He supplies the necessary sunshine, rain, and rich soil to allow life to flourish. But, we are responsible for planting the seeds, weeding the garden, and harvesting the vegetables that grow. As God’s hands and feet, we are extensions of the Master Gardener, placed here on this earth to till the soil, sow seeds, nourish the sprouts, and watch as they flourish into fruitful and mature plants.
Our responsibility as Christians is to care for the garden around us, our family, friends, and community. We till and fertilize the soil by being genuine examples of Christian behavior and love; we sow seeds by sharing the gospel with others; we nourish the sprouts by fellowshipping; and then we watch as beautiful, mature relationships with God grow, producing fruit and dropping seeds of their own.
I know, as an introvert myself, that it can be incredibly hard to take that first step and talk about your faith with your peers. That’s why Paul tells us in 1 Timothy to set an example through our speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. Our words, by themselves, are just that… WORDS. But when paired with actions, we are acting as extensions of the Master Gardener, planting and tending to the garden around us. We live in and through God’s love, and just like God sent Christ to the earth, so Christ sends us out to the ends of the earth to share the life-changing Gospel with everyone we meet.
Dear Lord, help us to tend to your garden, to live sent as we share our faith with our family, friends, and community. Help us to represent you as your love shines through our lives. Let us watch as our communities rise up and grow, maturing in their faith. Let our faith be fruitful and multiply as we strive to be your hands and feet in a hurting world.
Amen.
Written by Ellie Armstrong
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