Greener Grass

At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:25-30 ESV). Someone has said, "The grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence. It's greener where you water it more." The following story is an incredible illustration of how we live our lives at times. With the assistance of her grandfather, a young child planted a small garden of beans, peas, carrots, and radishes. The ground was tilled, seeds planted, and all the child had to do was leave the rest to the sunshine and, of course, her daily watering. "Two buckets of water a day should do it," said the grandfather as he bent low to his granddaughter. The granddaughter smiled and nodded, admiring their work, and awaiting their bountiful harvest. Within a few weeks, buds could be seen reaching their tender heads from the brown earth. "Look Grandpa! We have plants!" shouted the little girl with exuberant joy. "How wonderful, my dear, but don't forget, two buckets of water a day to keep them healthy." The child nodded. Several months later, grandpa came to visit yet again. "How is your garden doing, my dear?" he asked his grandchild. The young girl looked down at the floor, muttering, "It's fine, I guess." Taking the child gently by the hand, grandfather and granddaughter headed to the back yard, only to find a puzzling sight. Half of the garden was green and flourishing and the other half appeared as a desert wasteland! The old man rubbed his chin in bewilderment, then turned to the small child. "Did you water daily, as I instructed, my dear?" he asked. The child replied, "Yes, grandpa, I did." The old man rubbed his chin again. "Did you water it two buckets worth, one for each side?" The child shuffled her feet as she explained the sequence of events. "The first few weeks it was fun to carry the water out and sprinkle the plants, but, after a while, I became tired of carrying those two heavy buckets, so I only used one bucket. There was not enough water for the whole garden, so I only watered half. " After a few moments of silence, the grandfather wisely responded," Let us see what we can salvage of this side by watering and fertilizing it. In the meantime, let us harvest the rest." All of us have become tired of the effort it takes to maintain growth. We have all experienced situations that may have been avoided had we properly cared for the events leading to it? For example, think of how many marriages fail due to sheer neglect. Instead of taking the time to care for and "water" these important relationships, it is a sad reality that a large number of divorces occur because some seek a new relationship, rather than tend to the one they committed to before God and man. The same thing is true in our friendships, work ethics, and various goals in our life. Just as a plant won't grow without sunshine and water, so too will good things NOT come to those who do not work for what they truly desire. God assures us that we are not alone, especially during times of sorrow and hardship. All we have to do is call out to Him and He is faithful to answer the heartfelt prayers of the repentant. With a little work and a lot of God, nothing is impossible. Greener grass comes from watering the grass you have most of the time. Don’t give up!