Endure like turnip greens

By Rick Hancock, BCM/D President and Pastor of Dunkirk Church

The early morning drizzle wasn’t going to prevent me from going out and picking a mess of greens from Joshua’s little garden. By the way, “a mess” is simply a Southern Maryland term for, “enough to eat.” Our six-year-old son and I share a passion for playing in the dirt, planting seeds and watching things grow. He has his little garden out by the back fence planted in turnips and curly kale. He loved planting the tiny seeds back in September, but he doesn’t like it when his momma makes him eat the greens for dinner.

Joshua joined me for a few minutes of picking before heading off to kindergarten. We both were excited how the warmer temperatures of early spring have reinvigorated these leafy plants. We planted a little too late in the growing season and the drought conditions didn’t help much either. The cold winter winds and fallen oak leaves smothered the little plot of ground for months. But Joshua and I are back in business now. It didn’t take long at all to fill a brown paper grocery bag this morning. All we need now is few pieces of fatback and dinner is ready.

My spiritual journey is often pictured by Joshua’s garden. Like the turnips and kale I’m often slow to grow, vulnerable to cultural conditions and choked-out by the “stuff” of life and ministry. The good news for Joshua and me was that with a little attention the garden had a second chance. All we had to do was rake some leaves and wait for a few warm days. We harvested more this morning than we did during the entire fall.

We all have to take responsibility for our own spiritual condition. It would be easier for us to point the finger of blame on others, our church or our environment. The reality is that our life is a mess because of what we have or have not done. We can usually identify what happened in two simple terms. Like the people of Jeremiah’s day, we often reject the Lord through careless backsliding (Jer. 15:6). The other is a bit more intentional. Sometimes we just reject the Lord through willful disobedience like King David. In either case our life is fruitless.

It won’t be long now before the turnips and kale will be pulled out, the garden tilled, and tomato plants will fill the garden. They have it easy. Tomatoes thrive in the warm summer climate. They bask in the sun. The greens had to endure the harsh winter chill, months of neglect and the blanket of wet leaves. Maybe that’s the secret to their sweet taste. Maybe our lives are better because of what we have endured.

How’s the garden?