You can listen to this week’s Devotional here
Author: Scott Allman
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:11-12
The Bible portrays plants positively. God creates plants in Genesis 1 as a big part of nature. Throughout scripture plants provide sustenance. Some plants, however, are weeds and strangely enough those plants are evil. And gardeners appear, at best, only metaphorically. What wisdom is in the Bible for us gardeners, especially when we might be complimented on our gardens?
Plants, not gardeners, do all the growing. Plants work at it all day, every day. Are they growing all by themselves and only for themselves? In Genesis 2:9, it says, “Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.” This verse suggests that God created a system where plants could grow on their own, without the help of human cultivation; however, other parts of the Bible talk about the importance of human care for plants – for example, the Parable of the Sower in the Gospel of Mark.
While the Bible doesn’t explicitly say that plants don’t need our help, it does imply that God created them with the ability to grow independently. No Green Thumb Gardener required.
What is a “Green Thumb” then, if it is mostly God who does all the sous chef work? After all, God created the original design of ultra-miniature units – think about mustard seeds. Plants are sustained by 100% natural ingredients – think forests with trees and mushrooms. Despite their dust-like size, there is packed inside each seed the complete set of instructions to grow, survive, and then make a multiplication of seed to do it all over again and again – think of the many herbs and wildflowers. Perhaps, best of all, there is overall a system of evolution which is the eternal embodiment of W. Edward Deming’s principle of continuous improvement. No Gardener required.
Perhaps a few tasks are left for the “Green Thumb” gardener. Our colors for gardeners are not unlike the degrees of proficiency shown with karate belts. Each shade mirrors the color of the plants you commit to chaperone through the season. Low humidity Colorado, alas, has a limited color palette to rank gardeners. At the top and moving downward we find these thumb levels: plant green, thirsty green, dull brown, buff, burnt sienna, sandy brown, walnut, and finally biscuit. Above all, do not be a “Biscuit Thumb”.
On a less theological note, in Boulder gardening there is but one secret to success. Water early, often, and wisely. In wet soil all those pesky weeds are just lifted and never need to be yanked from the soil. Families of worms ooze around doing their job. Hydrated salads taste at their very best. Rain is good. In moist soil may your garden companions distribute seeds and compost their stems and roots.
Are we to resist plants attempting to manipulate us with their beauty, fragrance, nutrition, or mind-altering chemicals? It is a fair question to ask about “who is tending who” here. Of course, the Bible warns us to beware of deception. But most of the malice comes from people, not plants. Are there any false prophet plants in the Bible?
Foremost, fellow gardeners, please engage in some camaraderie with your plants. All should shine forth their beauty, glory, and worthiness to God. We gardeners and plants are in this compact as a duet. Tomatoes, peppers, calendulas, black eyed-Susans and even the snow peas and ground cherries will raise up their stems and leaves in the sunlight.
Rethink any ideas you may have about growing plants. Remember: God, plants, and gardeners are in this together.