“Just as with a garden, the legacy of our lives will be evidenced by what we sow, cultivate, and grow. And even by what we uproot and remove.” –Sally Clarkson, Own Your Life Bible Study Guide and Planner
I’m not much of a gardener. In fact, it wouldn’t be a stretch to call me a black thumb. I once killed a basil plant that only needed light and water. Light. And water. But those two directives were apparently above my skill set and I was left with a withered, lifeless basil plant.
I failed to cultivate that little plant and so it didn’t grow. That’s pretty much how it works in the rest of our lives, too.
If we don’t put the time, attention, and planning into nurturing our marriages, our children, our health, and our work, we will likely not grow what we hoped for. Neglecting these aspects of our lives can lead them to wither over time.
At the end of our lives, do we want to look back and see a flourishing bank account or flourishing children and grandchildren? Do we want to know we nurtured ourselves so we were vital and tireless to the end, or let addictions to food and drink cut us short? Do we want our time to have been spent living out our purpose, or living like we never knew we had one?
What we choose to focus our energies on and who we allow to be a part of our lives will directly affect the legacy we leave. As a mother, my greatest legacy will be my children. But as a child myself, a child of God, I leave a legacy with the life I have lived.
Is it an example of God’s grace at work? Does it glorify He who made me? Does it fulfill His purpose for me?
What we grow and what we prune may not show immediate results, but that doesn’t mean we should stop. Some plants take more time than others, and years may pass before they reach their true potential.
So continue to care for them, having faith that your efforts will not be in vain. If you have bad influences holding you back from growth, pull them out like weeds. I may be a black thumb with basil plants, but I intend to nurture the garden of my life until it flourishes.
How about you?
Have a blessed Monday!
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