Excerpt from Gardens of the Heart - available at Amazon.
I walked by the field of a lazy person, the vineyard of one
with no common sense. I saw that it was overgrown with nettles. It was covered
with weeds, and its walls were broken down. Then, as I looked and thought about
it, I learned this lesson: A little
extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— then
poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an
armed robber. Proverbs 24:30-34 NLT
The lawns of the old Georgian-style house swept down to a
fieldstone wall by a quiet country road. Brilliant pink rhododendrons
banked the foundation of the house. A formal English garden with an elaborate
bird bath graced one side of the lawn. Sounds beautiful, right? It was, at one
time. The gardens were sadly overgrown with weeds, the once lovely brick paths
almost erased by encroaching grasses. The rhododendrons were lanky and
unhealthy from neglect. The stone was crumbling, leaving gaps in the wall that
surrounded the property. Somewhere along the way, the owner of the property
began to give up on maintaining the beauty that had taken so much work to
establish. Although there were still glimpses of faded glory, most of it was
gone.
Solomon observed the same thing in the vineyard of the lazy
person. By neglecting the work in maintaining the vineyard, the person had lost
income from the crop. He was also on a path to poverty by ignoring the
stewardship of the vineyard and most likely other areas of his life.
God expects us to be good stewards of the earthly things
we've been given – homes, jobs, possessions, money. If we begin neglecting one
area, it won’t be long before we think other areas require too much effort to
maintain, and before long, resources become rundown or lost. We aren't to worship
or put these things in place of God, but we do need to recognize them as gifts
from our Father. We need to show our appreciation to Him and do our part to
maintain, improve, and increase what we've been given. It requires time,
effort, and perseverance. Sometimes we need help in managing the blessings. Has
your life been overtaken by weeds? Are your finances in a mess? Is the lawn
unmowed? Are dishes piled in the sink? Are you overburdened with activity that
keeps you from being a good steward of your blessings? Begin today to show your
appreciation to your generous Father by caring for all that He’s given you.
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