“And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil” Genesis 2:8-9.

Man’s first job was to be a husbandman. Man has been planting and caring for gardens since the time of Adam and Eve. Plants are an amazingly resilient creation. You see, if you plant a seed—that’s my part— it is going to grow—that’s God’s part. The key is to get it in the ground. There is evidence all-around of plants growing, even flourishing in places they have no business growing. We have all seen a weed growing in the middle of an asphalt driveway. How can that be? It all starts with a seed, then God supplies the soil, sunshine, and the rain, and we get to witness an amazing miracle of abundant life from a so tiny, little seed. It is a miracle so common it is overlooked that we can take less than an ounce of living matter and witness its growth into a thousand times the mass of that seed in a few months’ time.

Sow seeds by planting.

There is a biblical law of nature: what we plant, we will in time harvest. It then becomes imperative that we get some seeds in the ground. It is one of our delegated tasks to be planting seeds in the world that we live in. The seeds don’t have to be vegetables or fruits; they can be seeds of kindness, love, giving, and many, many more. Do something:-build a bridge or a shelter; a bridge to make it easier for those who follow to pass over, or a shelter for rest and refreshment for those who grow weary on this path of life. There are plenty of excuses not to get planting. It is easier to watch someone else do the planting. Some of the seeds will not grow. Some will grow and die; some will be high maintenance; but you can guarantee that there will be no harvest for one hundred percent of the seeds that are left in the bag. God intended that each one of us leave a crop behind. One saint of old once put it like this, “Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. As Abel of Genesis “being dead yet speaketh” thousands of years later, so too can each one of us leave our legacy by simply giving of ourselves and our resources for the benefit of those around us. Sow the seeds, and let God bless the harvest.

Sow seeds by sharing.

Teach the new generation about the greatness and love of God. Share what you have learned with those who will listen; be there to pick up those who won’t and stumble. Invest your life in people. Children are one of the most fertile soils on the face of the earth. Their minds are an empty garden eager to be filled with whatever kind of seed we supply. How critical it is to get the right seed in before weeds saturate the soil. Let the next generation witness the thrift and labor of this generation. We often learn more by watching and doing than by hearing. Work with them side-by-side to show them how to invest in farming good seed, and they can learn by use and thereby can have “their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

Keep the harvest in mind.

Be careful of the seed you plant. Someone is watching all the time, and an idle word or deed can plant weeds that we will regret. God alone can help us be the right kind of farmer all the time. Learn to lean on His help to “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Much of what we do down here will rot in time, but the seeds we plant with God can grow and prosper for eternity, and maybe even reproduce some on their own. It may be easy enough to buy an armchair and rock away your days amusing yourself with the toys available today, but how shallow the joy. Step out of your comfort zone and stretch a bit—sacrifice a bit. There is a far greater satisfaction in knowing you have made a positive impact in the lives of those around you. The joy is greater still when you see your own seedling produce a hundred-fold.

Get the crops in quickly.

Like the farmer of the mid-west, our growing season is so short—only nine months. Not only must we provide a godly example, we must plant the seeds of fundamental learning quickly. Always start with the basics, the known if you will, and then build upon that foundation. There will be no analysis or synthesis skills if there is no solid foundation of basics. Teach, drill, and review; then do it again. After a few cycles, sprinkle in a little application skill, slowly push them up the learning ladder until students have mastered all the skill levels.

Skill Levels:
  • Knowledge: I know it.
  • Comprehension: I understand it.
  • Application: I can use it.
  • Analysis: I can teach someone else.
  • Synthesis: I can modify it and use it again.
  • Evaluation: I know its value.

It is our responsibility as teachers to plant our student fields with abundant produce. Adam and Eve’s first task was to manage their garden. God has given each of us our own fields to plow and plant. The size of the field will not determine the harvest; it is the number of seeds we plant. There will be many choices for the seeds we sow. God, grant us the wisdom and energy to plant multiple crops with eternity in view.

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Jim Carey, Christian School Teacher

Jim Carey was the first staff member hired by Pastor Trieber in 1976. For over 40 years, he has served in many capacities. He has taught in the Christian school since its inception and has taught junior church every Sunday for that entire time as well.