Cultivating Courgettes
Galatians 5:22-23 (The Message) —
‘But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.’
My parents have had an allotment for the past 15 years or so and their commitment to it regularly amazes me. As someone who struggles to keep a supermarket basil plant alive and has a very dead looking patch of grass outside, the care and attention they give to their allotment is seriously impressive. In summer and winter, rain and sun, they will be there planting, pruning, weeding and watering. I nod along in conversations about the growth and the slugs and the weeds and the fruit. However, where I do get involved is in the produce: I love going round to my parents at this time of year and getting homegrown courgettes, tomatoes, apples and potatoes.
You see the thing is, I want the harvest, or the fruit, without the work. I want the courgettes, but I don’t want to go every day and water the plants or weed the plot.
The fruit of the Spirit is the harvest. And like a harvest on an allotment, the production of fruit isn’t automatic. It requires cultivation and intentionality. We have to learn to prune off and weed out old habits. We have to cultivate new habits to replace the old ones. In the same way that dedicated gardeners weed and water every day, we have to make daily choices to look after and stay committed to our fruit. In the same way that a good gardener wouldn’t plant a seed and cross their fingers, we can’t just invite the Spirit and hope for the best. Growing and producing fruit takes time and effort, but as anyone who has tasted homegrown fruit knows, it’s worth it. Growing and producing the fruit of the Sprit also takes time and effort, but when we do, it’s really really worth it.
Prayer— Jesus, fill me with your Spirit. Help me to prune the weeds of bad habits and be intentional about my choices, staying committed to producing a good harvest.
