Plant Thick and Feed

I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.   Psalm 119:16

When we lived in the city of Reading we had a neighbor who was a horticulturalist by profession. He was one of those great neighbors who would  do anything for you and he felt really sorry for me and my pitiful “garden”. We had almost no sun and I had almost no experience with growing flowers.

Our neighbor’s garden was very small, typical for an urban backyard. It was also absolutely beautiful and as the seasons changed, the beauty changed. It seemed like something was always blooming.

I asked about how he did it and he told me it really wasn’t a big secret, “Plant thick and feed.”

This past week I have been studying what Proverbs has to say about anger, pride, and envy.  I am not an angry person (when I am really mad I am more likely to cry than scream), pride is an issue I deal with every day, but envy I had to think about.

I like to think I am not envious  because I don’t care about “things”. I find it easy to celebrate with others who are experiencing success. I love to hear good news that benefits my friends. If they get a new pool I am thrilled for them, happy I have a place to go swim, and they have received something they really wanted.

But, women with flat stomachs, perfect Christian children, and/or 25 speaking engagements a year – I’ll be envious – at least for a moment.  Proverbs 14:30 gives me reason to stop and consider my attitude. It says, “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.” (I’ll take a tranquil heart over rotting bones any day!) Hebrews 13:5 says we are to be content with what we have.

As I thought about the “plant thick and feed” advice my neighbor offered for my garden I realized it is what God calls us to do in order to see and turn from these unhealthy attitudes and actions of anger, pride, and envy.  When we thickly plant the Word of God in our hearts and feed it regularly, it will act like a good fertilizer and increase the fruit of the garden of our hearts.

Many Christians make an initial, excited effort to read and study God’s Word when they come to faith but later it is as if they planted only a few plants expecting a thick flower bed. There was only a little there and there was no feeding, the result is a sparse garden, full of weeds.

Anger, pride, and envy are the weeds we all face every day we are alive. Are we feeding on the Word of God? It is the food that will remind us of the truth of the peace and joy that come with a peaceful heart, a humble spirit, and the ability to truly rejoice with those who rejoice?

You may be one who planted thick for a time early in your Christian life, when was the last time you (and I) got a full plate of the Word of God to encourage our spiritual growth?