Our Stories Unleashed

Reflections on Faith in Gardening

Early this year I started several seeds under grow lights in my house. I planned in advance what I wanted to add to my flower beds and what vegetables I would start from seed rather than buying starts at a nursery. I planted the seeds in small starter pods and checked them each day to see what had germinated. Once they started growing a little, I moved each plant to a larger pot to continue growing.

As I transplanted the new starts to bigger, four-inch pots, I noticed several things about plants that are similar to people. Watching plants grow teaches me more about our relationships with God. Gardening is a quiet hobby, after all, with plenty of opportunity for observation and reflection.

I started dozens and dozens of seeds. Not all of them germinated at the same time, even seeds of the same variety that I started on the same day. Some were quick and strong. Others lagged and surprised me several days later. This reminded me of the different rates at which our faith develops. Some of us experience quick, rich growth in our relationship with Christ. Others of us mature more slowly in our relationships with Christ, yet the growth continues.

Some of the starts grew a little then stopped growing, while other plants around them continued to grow. This reminded me that we don’t grow in our faith simply by being around other Christians. Surrounding ourselves with strong believers influences us positively, but that alone doesn’t cause our growth. We must pursue Christ individually, not just corporately.

Some seeds germinated and thrived. Others geminated, then stalled out. Still others never germinated at all. Even though I planned for a failure rate, it still saddened me to see some pods with soil but no plants. I planted the seeds the same way. I provided consistent water and light to each pod. Some seeds just never germinated. This reminded me of our experiences telling other people about Jesus. Some hearts simply don’t allow the truth of Christ to take root and grow. 

Jesus told us this would happen (see Mark 4:1-20). He told the story a little differently, yet it applies easily to my gardening experience too. I enjoy seeing seeds germinate and watching the plants grow healthy and strong. I also enjoy watching people learn to trust and follow God in ever bigger and more meaningful ways. And I’m thankful for a quiet hobby that gives me an opportunity to hear God teach me nuanced lessons in my own faith. Let me know if you need some seeds. I’m happy to share. - Kathy Raines, Minister of Administration