Being A Wisdom Walker (Proverbs 13:20)
For several years I have attempted to grow a few vegetables in my back yard; tomatoes, cucumbers and string beans mostly. I only had two small 4x4 garden beds. Last year I asked my husband, Chuck, to build me another bigger bed that gets a little more sun. My "garden" did ok. We got some cucumbers and tomatoes. The beans grew well. The zucchini didn't fair very well. I did manage to get two very small butternut squash. But I found I was more frustrated with bad results for the effort I had made.
This year I decided it was time to stop pretending as if I knew what I was doing and to start learning how to do gardening right. I began by asking Chuck to build me 4 new big garden beds. I then thought about the vegetables I might like to try growing. I found a reputable online gardener and began watching hours (yes hours) of their online video's about soil, sunlight, water, fertilizer, and compost. I then sat through hours of videos on each of the different vegetables I wanted to try growing. I was learning when to plant what, how different things grow and what the different needs of each plant are. I learned that some weren't a good idea to try and grow and I felt encouraged to add some vegetables to the list that I hadn't planned on growing. I bought a book on gardening in the Northeast and graph paper and pencils to map out my garden beds and where I should plant what. I found soil to buy to fill my beds and with the help of Chuck, and 3 other helpful young men from Church, I got the soil into those beds and ready for seeds and plants. But first I needed to walk and talk with someone who has been gardening. I needed to hear and see first hand the ups and downs of someone who had experience. I needed the wisdom and advice of the best gardener's I knew. I was graciously given the chance to sit with Kathie Taylor at her house and to have her share her and Scott's gardening wisdom and stories with me. She shared stories, gave me tips, pointers, information based on what they had learned and encouragement. Then she walked me outside and took me through her garden to show me what they had done and what they were planning on doing. I got to see how some things were growing and to hear of some of the struggles likes animals and insects that can attack the plants and your hours of hard work. I left there feeling so blessed and ready to begin planting my own seeds and plants.
Armed with a good deal of knowledge, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed and intimidated but so very encouraged by what Kathie had shared that I began to plant. I planted several things like peas, lettuces, and rutabaga, - these are what I learned are called winter vegetables (meaning they can be sown when the weather is still cooler). It took time to plant these seeds but it's been a couple of weeks and guess what? My seeds have started to sprout!!! What joy it is to see little leaves of green starting to poke through the soil and to know that with care and time they may produce something delicious to enjoy. The work is not over. Oh no!!! I have summer vegetables to sow, seedlings to thin, mulch to lay down, checking for weeds, making sure everything has the right amount of water, protection from bugs, animals and disease and then harvest everything at the right time. I am sure I will need to watch some more videos, read another book, and have another walk or maybe two with Kathie as my path to being a better gardener continues. Wisdom isn't gained with just one short walk!
The hope for success began when I chose take the time to walk with those who had wisdom greater than I. The guy with the online video's, the author of the book, and Kathie Taylor. By recognizing my weaknesses and my needs I was able to then seek out those who had wisdom beyond my own to share. What happened when I decided to walk with the wise gardener's? I began to gain wisdom. I began to grow wise myself. I am no expert but as long as I keep walking with the wise I will keep growing and my garden will do better.
Proverbs 13:20 says "He who walks with the wise grows wise..." This story of my path to gaining wisdom in gardening is no different than what it looks like when I want to live a life of Godly wisdom, a spiritual life of purpose, to be a faithful child of God who helps to grow, support and encourage others in the Lord. I need to walk with the wise. We all do. We need to be sure to spend time with those who have grown in their faith, who read their bibles and study the word of God. With those who have a hope and trust in the Lord. Church is a great place to walk with the wise through great sermons and fellowship with the wise who attend. Being in a small group bible study is another way to walk with the wise and glean from the wisdom of not just one person but a whole group. Reading the bible is walking with the wise of the past, through the character's stories which includes their failures and successes. If we want to grow in our faith, in hope, in trust of God we need to walk with those who have been on the path, who are on the path but a bit further along than us. We gain wisdom from listening and walking with them as they share their failures, stumbles, successes and victories in the Lord. When we humble ourselves and realize that we can gain much from those who have walked paths before us then we open the doors for wisdom to come in. We begin to grow wise ourselves. As long as We keep walking with the wise we will keep growing, we will be wiser, we will be better equipped to serve the Lord, to grow his garden (his kingdom).
Also, note that the online gardener who's video's I watched, the author of the book I read and Kathie Taylor all took the time to walk with me. One through making a video, one through writing a book, and another by sitting, walking and talking with me. We all have a bit of wisdom we can share with someone. Let us make sure to be generous with our time and let God use our lives, stories, successes, failures, stumbles and victories to help others gain wisdom, to help them in whatever life has handed them.
Then ask yourself these questions:
"Who am I walking with?" and "Who can I walk with?"
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