Gardening 101

My mom is big on taking care of her plants.  My sister and I... um... not so much.  Though I love to look at lush, well kept, nourished plants, I have zero interest in making them look that way.  A few months ago I was guest speaker at a local primary school.  As a token of their gratitude they presented me with a lovely potted plant... poor plant (I'm guessing it's still alive because my apartment complex has a grounds' man and the plant's been outside since I had got home that afternoon).  Sadly, until I began writing this piece I had not given it a second thought.  There are two other plants on the porch that I occasionally water; and though I have often promised myself that I will be better at tending to these plants there is no real interest (thank God for the grounds' man - I sometimes see the soil around those porch plants wet).  If my plants could be nurtured by my good intentions I would not have a problem, action however is what is required.

I unequivocally hold to the view that spiritual lives are like plants.  Christians who are like my porch plants are not systematically watered.  They get a bit when/if they attend weekly church services, or if some passerby shares a word with them.  They nevertheless struggle to survive because no real care is given to them; and though they are not exactly wilting, their potential is not maximised and they lack the luster and strength that proper nutrition would give.  The ones like my mother's plants that are watered daily and given plant food, have their leaves frequently wiped to get rid of dust, are talked to and re potted depending on their needs, experience a communion with God that can only be shared by those who are willing to delve into their Bibles, pray, meditate and allow God to speak to them. 

I am by no means even suggesting that such persons have perfect lives because that is impossible in this realm.  I am however pointing out the measure of spiritual success that is translated to their physical lives as they respond to distressing situations in a manner that confuses most onlookers.  I have looked at many Christians whom I admire not because they are popular and loudly display what is generally thought to be the righteous way of living.  On the contrary, it is often their quiet fortitude that encourages me.  This is not obtained by haphazard watering but through frequent, deliberate and meaningful time in study and prayer.

In highlighting how important our private time with God is, one of my pastors referenced St. Mark 4:34, showing that it was during the private times with His disciples that Jesus unveiled much of His teachings.  Only those who were with Him in private were privy to the meanings of what He said.  A two hour church service (even if one attends all four that are customarily held by most churches) cannot sufficiently meet ones need and that's a fact! 

I've learnt that I cannot apply my physical gardening techniques to my spiritual life, not if I want to be lush and beautiful.

Watch your eyes what they see

 

As a child I learnt a song in Sunday School that included the lines

"...watch your eyes, watch your eyes what they see..."

Until I became an adult I never realised the profound reality expressed in its simple words; but do we even take a second thought to how deliberate we are in choosing what we see?

During the preview segment at the movies lately I was reminded of the way the god of this world has attempted to nullify the seriousness of the existence of evil.  Patrons are seemingly more amused or excited by the darkest films.  The closer their resemblance to demons and creatures associated with them, or the more extreme the bloodshed or amoral the actions of the characters is the more success the films seem to have at the box offices.

I agree with those who believe that although the Biblical prophecies in Revelation do not speak to literal beasts, if one did in fact appear our world would embrace it.  Sad reports from survivors from the Aurora, Colorado cinema shooting revealed that when the gunman initially opened fire many patrons had assumed the tear gas and shooting to be props inserted by the theatre to enhance the thrill of the movie experience.  It was not until people started to die that they recognised the gravity of their situation.

I am an avid movie goer but have had to seriously tailor my choice of movies for the mere fact that I do not wish to become accustomed to that which will alter my response to evil and immorality.  That means I now go to the movies perhaps once per month instead of every weekend and only a few select television programmes have become my source of entertainment. 

My extreme attitude has come on the heels of the realisation that what I see affects me far more than I even considered, and Scripture highlights that.  Several years ago I had a defining moment when I realised the profanity that was whispered from my lips or in my thoughts when I had a bad experience with a fellow motorist, stubbed my toe or had something slip from my hands.  This had become a part of me not because anyone in my regular circles spoke this way, but because I had taken no care as to what I viewed on a regular basis.  This was how the characters of the programmes I watched behaved and very soon I had become so accustomed to this type of response that I adopted it as well.

I hold firmly to the belief that in order to be a disciple of God radical actions have to be taken to insulate ourselves against that which will subtly influence us.  We cannot adopt a frivolous approach to what we take in or very soon we may be forced to marvel at the man in the mirror.