Faith Lessons from the Garden

Alaina Mankin

I planted some chamomile in my garden for the first time last summer. I don't enjoy chamomile tea, but I'd

read that the flowers might deter wasps, so I thought I would try it. It took most of the summer for a few white flowers to grow, and the wasps didn't seem to care if they were there or not. At least the flowers looked pretty. Once the first hard frost of autumn turned my clumps of chamomile into a less-than-pretty brown mess, I cleared out that section of my garden. 

If you've experienced the winters in Middle Tennessee, then you know the cold never lasts for long. During the numerous cold snaps and warm spells of the winter months, I noticed my chamomile was making a comeback. Not only was it growing, it was also showing up in places it didn't belong. Now that we've had some consistent weeks of warm weather, the chamomile I planted almost a year ago is thick, healthy, bright green, and filling up two garden beds instead of one. Though the gardener in me is frustrated that my wasp deterrent has become a weed, I'm also impressed by its resilience. And I wonder, isn't this what our faith should look like?

We place our hope in the One who defeated sin and death. When trials come our way-- those "cold snaps" life throws at us--we may falter, but, if our faith has roots, we should never be defeated. If anything, our faith should be strengthened by our trials, and our experiences should stand as a testimony to others. 

How do we have a faith with strong roots? By being connected to the Word. During his last meal with his disciples before the ordeal of the cross, Jesus said, "Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me" (John 15: 4-5). Jesus was clear. Without our connection to him--diving into Scripture, spending time in prayer, hiding his Word in our hearts--our best efforts aren't good for much. But if we allow him to play an active part in our lives, he can carry us through anything. 

Around the same time that I planted my chamomile seeds, I also planted some begonias. These flowers were beautiful throughout the hot summer months, but after the first taste of winter, they wilted and shriveled up into dry husks. There's no hope of new growth for my begonias this spring. They're gone. Meanwhile, the chamomile is thriving. I could try to clear it away, but I have a feeling it will just grow back. This summer, maybe I'll brew some chamomile tea after all.