Proud or Prodigal, Be on Guard
Even though I am merely a beginner gardener, God ministers deeply to my heart while I work with my hands outdoors. Last year I wrote about the overwhelming sense of conviction the Lord laid on me while I weeded an overgrown flower bed, noting that procrastination stunts Christian growth. I wrote of how I wished I had gone out early and often, maintaining bit by bit, instead of waiting until the task reached a more intimidating state.
By the grace of God, this year was different. I have an active toddler on my hands who keeps me on my toes and outside. So for the first time in my adult life, I spent hours weeding our various beds early and often. It was quite a bit of work, and certainly never perfect, but I was thankful for the goodness of the task.
It felt great to learn a lesson, implement the knowledge gained, and enjoy the fruit of my labor. I washed my hands and thought, “Ah, it feels good to have taken care of that!” I enjoyed this feeling a little too long - a few weeks passed and my front flower beds were once again riddled with weeds. My sense of achievement actually led to neglect, and instantaneously the Lord convicted me of how much this mirrors pride.
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
In pride, we think we’ve moved past certain sin issues and graduated from the temptations of our former lives. We tell ourselves and others we don’t need to worry about that anymore. It’s taken care of and dealt with. So, with a false sense of security, we let our guards down, forgetting that the work is never done in this fallen world. And not long after those thoughts enter our minds, a fall is just around the corner, to humble us and remind us we are not beyond temptation and sin.
“Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.”
Whether it’s weeds in the flower beds or weeds of sin in our hearts, let us labor to the glory of God in the work set before us. And when it comes to sin, let us take heart that though we labor and toil, it is not vain. Even when our best, most valiant efforts fail, God is gracious and kind to His children, abounding in patience. He is the masterful Gardener, able to root out the deepest and ugliest of weeds in our hearts. Better still - He is not ashamed of us, but welcomes His repentant children home with open arms - whether proud or prodigal.
