LIFE LESSONS FROM THE LOWLY GREEN BEAN

Gardening has come to me late – but through pursuing it, I have experienced a whole new series of God-sightings. I was recently down in the garden checking on some new seeds and plants I put in a few weeks ago. It’s late for summer gardening, but hey, So Cal and all that stuff! My prior batch of beans birthed from seeds didn’t do much. Out of the 15 or so planted in early summer, one lone bean plant came up and latched on to the trellis.

The bean plant looked pretty sick throughout the whole of its short journey. But it seemed to have a perseverance and a tenaciousness that appealed to me. (I love over-comers!) The plant slowly climbed the trellis, giving off an occasional bean or two – never enough to really call a ‘harvest’. I picked it and threw it in with other veggies I was serving. We never got to enjoy a full plate of green beans from the garden this summer. Hardly enough for a taste! (John-dear was happy – it is his most disliked vegetable)

But just recently, I got a glimpse of its whole reason for bean (pun intended). While checking on the new plants, I noticed that one enterprising young bean plant somehow connected with the weak one and began to climb up its back, following the same path toward the sun. As I noticed the phenomena taking place, I was struck by the spiritual lessons I was seeing.

While I guess I could have chosen to see it as an opportunistic hanger-oner, I saw it differently. As I’m growing older, I’m inevitably thinking about passing the baton. And I saw myself and others of us, forging a path to help the younger generation get to the Light. Sometimes we look at our lives (now AND then) and buy in to the lie that we have no value, no gifts nothing to pass on or give back. Lies, all lies! In a quote from my book The Call to Follow Jesus: Studies in the Gospel of Mark, I reminded myself and others that, “We were bought with a price and were not born for ourselves, but to learn, understand, observe, absorb and follow so that we too might become dispensers of Truth by using our life stories, gifts and talents for His glory.” You don’t have to be a ‘spiritual giant’ to give someone a boost. It doesn’t matter the state of your health, wealth or emotional strength. What matters is that you are available to speak His encouragement to whoever He brings in to your path.

What lessons do you see? I hope you’ll respond with your thoughts so we all can see Him in a deeper and more meaningful way. Next week – maybe- The Bean That Went Awry. (John-dear wants me to call it, What Could Have Bean: A Life That Went Awry). Ok. His is better.

Posted in Kitchen & Garden.

5 Comments

  1. Love your notes and what God is doing in your life. Keep up the good work… I would love to be able to put my thoughts into something like a book but I am not gifted in that way. Photography is my gift… keep up the good works Kiddo… Give John a hug from me. Always your friend, Charlene….

  2. loved all three of your stories so far.. Each unique but with a sweet lesson… You should see the gardens here in Slovenia. They are unreal!! I have never seen so many tomatoes!! Cabbages are huge, so much is available, but not for long as the cold is coming! Right now apples on the trees are bountiful!!! Mark is eating an apple strudel each day! Take care

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