Encouragement and Growth

Mat 5:14 "You are the light of the world….” [Jesus]

Mat 13:25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. [Jesus]

 

While working in my yard yesterday I noticed two things that God used to speak to me. I have some gardenias on the west side of my house that are only half exposed to sunlight. And only the half that receives sunlight have blooms on them. Many plants are like that—they need direct sunlight in order to bloom. And human personalities are like that. Children need the sunlight of being enjoyed and loved in order to bloom. Spouses need the sunlight of their mates’ appreciation in order to bloom. All of us tend to blossom in the light of loving kindness, encouragement, and appreciation. Jesus said that His followers would be the “light of the world.” We have the wonderful opportunity to shine this Light upon each other and encourage each other to blossom into the fullness of the potential that God has placed within us to be joyful and free.

 

I also noticed that the weeds, including poison oak, in the woods beside my yard keep trying to invade my lawn. I must continually fight back against them with my mower and with weed killer. I realize that it will always be necessary to fight back against this invasion so that my family can enjoy the yard without the nuisance of briars and poison oak. I see this reality in my spiritual growth also. If I stop being proactive in drawing near to God—if I stop attending church, praying, serving, reading the Word—weeds will insidiously invade my personality that are much more problematic than the weeds that grow in my yard.

 

I hope you are keeping the weeds of selfishness, laziness, criticism, judgementalism, anxiety, despair, [whatever your sinful nature tendencies are] pulled up out of the garden of your personality. And I hope you are shining the Light of God’s Love upon all those in your sphere of influence.

 

Shine His Light. Pull the weeds.

And, as always, be very thankful that you have heard His voice and reside in His eternal Kingdom.