Fearless Faith

“How can such tiny seed produce such beautiful results?” It is a question we ask multiple times each year as bedding plants move from the catalog pages to peat starter cups to transplanted wonders. A few grow lights, plentiful water, and a can-do attitude contribute to a successful start to the gardening season. Thank goodness for LED lighting that has helped curb the expense of starting seedlings in the dead of winter. Unfortunately, it grants even greater license to plant even more. Many seeds are so small as to make an unintended sneeze a total disaster. How to maximize seemingly miniscule potential? Patience, tweezers and toothpicks appear to be the sowing tools of choice.

Seeds germinate in a surprisingly short time, inspiring a daily ritual of concierges searching for what has sprouted next. Onions, asparagus, and rhubarb lead the outdoor charge. Garlic and some herbs seem to thrive in the cool spring days, and the horseradish is simply indifferent to whatever is close by. It revels in its own invincibility, much to the chagrin of the annuals.

The garden parallels with a life fully lived are unmistakable; we start small, practically unseen, then quickly become the persons we were called to be. With diligence, hard work and some luck, we germinate into something of worth and value, not in comparison to others, but rather regarding self. The garden environment is at times a fickle place filled with danger from weather and pests. Seasoned gardeners take it all in stride while bearing a measured sobriety as to a variety of possible outcomes.

What to do when calamity strikes, when horizons become too threatening or challenging to ignore? We make the most of it by salvaging what is salvageable and cleaning up the rest, not only for ourselves, but for those we know and love (and hopefully for a few we do not). Trading one difficult situation for another is neither equitable or fair. It is a tempting avenue to take when troubles roost close by. We convince ourselves that others’ paths are better, smoother, and well-marked. Broadly speaking, they are not.

At the end of the growing season awaits another amazing transformation. The mulching process steps in to break down plant waste and provide the release of nutrients which aid the improvement of soil tilth. Tilth represents the preparation and suitability of soil characteristics that enable seeds to germinate and thrive. Optimal tilth differs from one garden to the next, but a well-managed mulch pile can work wonders. And, that brings us full circle.

Is it any wonder that Jesus spoke of earthy matters … seeds, sowing, managing, foods, and harvest.? It is what people were most familiar with, what was most impactful in their lives. What about fishing and feeding others, neighbors, and strangers alike? We all have spiritual gardens to tend. There are plenty of opportunities to share. Something as simple as a kind word along the way can mean everything in the right moment. Jesus reminds us that, at the margins, everything becomes important.

Declaring the kind of garden one desires implies a multitude of inputs, rather like those of centuries past. It takes willingness, commitment, innovation, and no small measure of hard work to deem it successful. Sounds suspiciously like Christianity to me.