Lessons from the Garden

A number of years ago I had the opportunity to take an eight month agriculture class which changed my entire view of education and spirituality. At the beginning of the program, I was introduced to a statement which I am now starting to understand.

“The natural and the spiritual are to be combined in the studies of our schools. The operations of agriculture illustrate the Bible lessons.” -Fundamentals of Christian Education p375

When I first read this, I thought to myself, “yeah, yeah, the sower went forth with the seed -- and we know that the seed represents the Word of God, and soil represents the hearts of the different types of people in the world.” But I have to say, that in the course of working with soil and plant, God opened my eyes to a little more than I was expecting.

“In the cultivation of the soil the thoughtful worker will find that treasures little dreamed of are opening up before him.”
Adventist Home p142

Towards the end of spring when we began preparing our gardening lots to be used for the practical labs of the class, I was immediately attracted to principle of soil cultivation. Very early on, the point was made, and remade that if the cultivation of the soil was done will, than the rest of the gardening class would be simpler. I found that during the time I spent alone outside of class time preparing the soil, forming the rows in which I would soon plant in, I was able to found opportunity to reflect upon the day’s class’s and activities and was able to ponder the deeper lessons that were brought out in class.

“In the cultivation of the soil the thoughtful worker will find that treasures little dreamed of are opening up before him.”
Adventist Home p142

I also found it very refreshing to work with the soil and getting my hands dirty, smelling that smell of freshly tilled soil. I also found that my appetite developed as too. But I believe that one of the most profound benefits I had while preparing the soil was I began to draw closer to God. I began to think of the lesson of Genesis chapter three. Where, God gave this work to man, when He instructed Adam (and all men that were to follow) to till the ground in the sweat of the brow. I began to wonder why it was, that out of numerous activities God could have given, why He chose the working of the soil. What was the significance, how is it that through tilling the ground, and caring for plants, helps us to understand the effects of sin, and the great plan of salvation?

“No one can succeed in agriculture or gardening without attention to the laws involved.”
Adventist Home p142

I began to understand this principle. There are laws that govern the garden. These laws we have no control over. We are unable to change or bend them. We have to understand that these laws exist, and if we don’t try and understand them then, the garden will fail and will not produce fruit. However, if we seek to understand the way in which the soil works and how the plant grows, and what keeps them alive, and producing fruit. Then we are guaranteed success. Yet even in success, even though we might understand the rules, and how to make nature produce it's fruit, the “real work” of producing the fruit is still out of our hands and is performed by wonders of God’s creative acts alone.

So too is it with us, we have a work to do in our own salvation, yet the “real work” of salvation is performed by God. The bringing forth of “fruit” is not a job that we have control over, yet we must provide the right conditions within the natural laws. Which, when observed, will bring forth much fruit.

This is a very powerful concept, as it shows that we require works to establish our faith, or to prove it. This is the same concept that I believe the Apostle James and the Apostle Paul were trying to teach. We see that in nature that there is a bringing together of the (what might seem different and conflicting) concepts. The use of agriculture to reveal to the Human family the concepts of God’s government and the plan of salvation is powerful, yet so simple.
“The special needs of every variety of plant must be studied.”
Adventist Home p142

While gardening I also found that, some plants need more water, some more fertilizer, some more sun light, some need something to climb upon, some need stakes, some need more time to grow, some need more nurturing as seedlings. All of this taught me that in the work of evangelism the same principles also apply.

When dealing with different souls for God, we must be aware that every soul is different and has different needs, to which, we as a soul-winner for Jesus must be sensitive to. One soul may need more “water” than another, while another soul may need more “sun light”, while another requires “more time to grow”.

Within the spiritual realm, the lessons of dealing with the dear souls of Jesus are remarkably similar to that of the gardening realm. I now see a connection in how we meet the needs of the plant according to its variety, as being very similar to how we should meet the different needs of the soul.

“In the study of agriculture, let pupils be given not only theory, but practice. While they learn what science can teach in regard to the nature and preparation of the soil, the value of different crops, and the best methods of production, let them put their knowledge to use.” Education p219

Another valuable lesson that agriculture gives, is that it is very possible to spend a whole term in the classroom and be taught how to garden, how to plan seeds, what are the best dates to plant, what is the best time to water, what is the right combination of minerals in the soil, what is the best way to deal the pests and animals. All of which is important and useful, but without being put to test, without being applied, without physically being out in the garden and putting to practice that which is learnt, I could have never understood the significance of each one of these somewhat small details and the way in which they are all interdependent upon one another.

When you are physically out in the garden, and you find that one day your young tender plants are nice and green and looking very vibrant, and then the next morning you find that their leaves look like they have been a meal for a million little bugs, you see that even though you have been successful in the amount of water needed, the amount of trace elements, if you cannot control the pests, everything else will be of none effect.

The production of the plant is determined by one’s faithfulness to a balance of all the factors. Physically being involved in the garden teaches that attention to all aspects of the garden is not only required, but is essential. If we take this principle to the spiritual realm we see that we might be able to teach the great prophecies, understand the Bible’s doctrines, be able to teach with conviction, but if not applied to our daily experience than we will fail to have true success.

When we apply our learning in the real world classroom of the garden, we find that it becomes a real-time experiment. I believe that this is what David meant when he said “Taste and see, that the Lord is good.” It needs to be tried, must be proved, and put to the test!

“We need to have an experimental religious experience.”
Lift Him Up p279

“He who earns his livelihood by agriculture escapes many temptations and enjoys unnumbered privileges and blessings denied to those whose work lies in the great cities”
Child Guidance Up p356