Each week we feature a devotional, book review or testimony ~ a “Devotional Spotlight”, written by a woman in our ministry. We hope you are blessed in reading Molly’s devotional!
“Tending Tomatoes”
Last summer I decided I would take up farming. Okay, maybe that is a stretch… I didn’t actually wear overalls or drive a tractor. The more correct label would be rookie “container gardener”. I was inspired by Jen Hatmaker’s book 7, which I highly recommend. She throws out the challenge to garden, which she defines as “cultivating respect for the earth and the miraculous way it sustains humanity” (122). Yes, that is what I wanted to do…but what I really wanted was for people to admire my tomatoes. I was going to be that friend who constantly shares her surplus of tomatoes. That mom who provides fresh home-grown vegetables for her family. That neighbor that leaves baskets on doorsteps overflowing with garden goodies. Boy, were people going to be impressed with my tomatoes!
So I headed to Home Depot and bought a tomato plant. I chose a nice sized plant that had a couple of little tomatoes already growing and a few buds. The garden associate assured me that if I left the plant in its container, it would grow magnificently. All I had to do was water it. (Can do!) The lady at the checkout counter “ooh-ed and aw-ed” over my choice. (Feeling good about this!) Behind me in line the little old man, a seasoned tomato grower, admired my selection. He assured me teasingly that I would have ripe tomatoes by the time I got home. (My farming career was taking off!)
So how hard could growing tomatoes be?
Well, let me tell you.
It. Is. Not. Easy.
Fast forward through bouts of Blossom End Rot, Fusarium, and Early Blight (none of those are good), a transplanting to a much bigger container, several bags of special moisture control soil, an altered watering schedule, repositioning to get less sunlight, an infestation of aphids, endless propping up branches with rods and ties, plant food and much prayer…I had no tomatoes. And yet, I had a neighbor who was leaving baskets of her surplus tomatoes on my doorstep.
But it was not all for naught.
When God is teaching me something, He often gives me an image or analogy by which to remember a lesson. By no coincidence, at the same time I was dealing with my farming fiasco, God had me taking inventory of the fruit in my life. It was a busy season where I had more to do than hours in my day would allow. I felt like a grumpy mom all the time and a tired, emotional wife. The Bible says the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) Somehow I had gotten to a place where this fruit was not what I bore in my home to the people I loved most. I felt defeated. This wasn’t the wife and mom I wanted to be or what God wanted of me. How do they do it…all those other women? They make it look so easy being a mom, a wife and juggling life. Easy like growing tomatoes. What should have been so easy wasn’t.
Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” (John 15:1)
Oh, how I need the Gardener to tend to me.
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5
What does it mean to remain in Him? I thought I was! But what God had me realize was that in the midst of the multi-tasking as a wife, mother, friend, teacher, chef, nurse, counselor, chauffeur, maid, etc…I was attempting to produce fruit on my own. It’s a subtle shift from letting the Holy Spirit produce this fruit in me to “I’m going to try my hardest to be patient and gentle!” My efforts will always produce rotten tomatoes – a.k.a. Tightly wound, impatient, harsh, joy-lacking wife and mother.
God also pointed out that my morning Quiet Time habit had become morning coffee with God, reading the Bible, and then walking away to go about my day on my own. Remaining in Him is a walking and talking with Him all day long. Staying put in Him. My only successes at being a wife, mother, daughter and friend come through Him. I’m learning to consciously surrender my day to Him, asking what He intends for me to accomplish. If I will only listen, He is so faithful to direct me. It may or may not align with my To Do List, but the outcome of the day is always better than what I would have come up with. And, best of all, He produces His fruit in me. Apart from Him I can do nothing.
After a lot of work, I was finally able to help my ailing plant bring a small crop of tomatoes. I have hung up my dream of being a farmer. But I did have a proud moment when at last I served my family a tomato sandwich (cut 4 ways) made with my tomatoes!
