Walking into South Africa we thought we were going to be working at a substance abuse facility (something I was so pumped about.) Some of my best friends are in recovery, and most of my sober friends are some of the most insightful people I know. Several years ago the facility changed its clientele and is now operating as a facility for the mentally disabled. There are about 110 residents at Eden Christian Ministries, 90 with mental disability, two orphans, and several others needing a hand to get themselves back on their feet. Ralph and Rhoda have been running Eden single handedly for the last 8 years. This couple blows my mind with their admirable patience. Not only are they tending to 110 people’s needs but they also have three children of their own. A majority of the residents we interact with do not speak English. During the week, our team of six has been breaking up into pairs of two. Week one at Eden, I had the opportunity to tend to the garden, prune roses, pull up weeds, rake… etc (various other activities people do in their gardens.)
The Lord spoke to me about the significance of roots through my efforts in the garden and through a 40 Day Lent devotional called 40 Days of Decrease by Alicia Britt Chole. Alicia BC stated, “However, beginnings are mysterious things; part breath, part hope, part fumble, part grace. Roots are, historically, perhaps the most humble of God’s creation on earth. They require neither acknowledgement nor praise. Their reward is reaped when the living stand upon them and reach for the fruit.” This sat with my spirit, working in the garden the week I read this. It stirred something in me, the significance of roots in nature and in our lives seems to resemble that of a flourishing garden. The shallow roots of a weed don’t seem to penetrate deeply into the soil; this is a reminder to me of sin. Sin, similar to weeds, does not provide long-lasting fruit to our lives… Sure, the sin we partake in may feel good in the moment, but plucking sin like weeds from our lives allows other plants in our garden to flourish and grow. The roots of a rose bush seem to go deep into the soil, spreading their roots not only deep but also growing in width; the things that are good for us. (Surprise: I am not a botanist.) The roses in our lives all differ, and make us unique. Rose bushes require pruning in order for the beauty to be revealed over time. Similar to a rose, we too are constantly being pruned; personally I feel like I am in a pruning phase of my life. Cutting out parts of my life that no longer bring forth beauty, hurts… I mean, really hurts… But how else would I expect room for new roses to bloom if I wasn’t constantly changing and working on myself? If our lives are like gardens, we are called to consistently prune, weed, water, rake and tend to our gardens.
What weeds in your life do you need to pull up?
