Faith Is Like a Pea Plant
July 5, 2014//
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James 2:14-17 (NIV) – What good is it if someone claims to
have faith but has no deeds? Suppose a
brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep
warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is
it? In the same way, faith by itself, if
it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
have faith but has no deeds? Suppose a
brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep
warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is
it? In the same way, faith by itself, if
it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
It’s pea season! Sugar snaps.
Snow peas. I love to munch the
whole pod raw or lightly stir fry them! Mom
always said you could count on fresh snap peas for the 4th of July
and, true to form, my plants are producing.
I’m harvesting from the garden every other day because if I don’t, the
plant will stop producing. Pods left too
long get dry, bitter tasting and become seeds for the next season. Once the plant ‘goes to seed’, it puts all its
energy into making seeds, stops producing edible peas and dies. Sadly, I am sometimes too busy to harvest and
my crop ends early.
Snow peas. I love to munch the
whole pod raw or lightly stir fry them! Mom
always said you could count on fresh snap peas for the 4th of July
and, true to form, my plants are producing.
I’m harvesting from the garden every other day because if I don’t, the
plant will stop producing. Pods left too
long get dry, bitter tasting and become seeds for the next season. Once the plant ‘goes to seed’, it puts all its
energy into making seeds, stops producing edible peas and dies. Sadly, I am sometimes too busy to harvest and
my crop ends early.
Our faith is like a pea plant.
We need to tend our faith regularly
or we don’t yield as much as fruit as we’re capable of producing. If we stop producing fruit for too long, we
dry up and soon die. I am re-energized
when I observe the results of my efforts for God. I am filled with new spirit when a reader
replies that a post inspired them, or a stranger smiles after a random
kindness, or a friend is comforted because I’ve taking time to listen. You can study and worship and believe in your
heart, but James tells us if you don’t put it into practice and DO what
scripture instructs, your faith will die.
or we don’t yield as much as fruit as we’re capable of producing. If we stop producing fruit for too long, we
dry up and soon die. I am re-energized
when I observe the results of my efforts for God. I am filled with new spirit when a reader
replies that a post inspired them, or a stranger smiles after a random
kindness, or a friend is comforted because I’ve taking time to listen. You can study and worship and believe in your
heart, but James tells us if you don’t put it into practice and DO what
scripture instructs, your faith will die.
Our faith is NOT like a pea plant.
At some point the pea plant is done
producing new peas and naturally transitions into seed making. With faith, however, we
serve others and scatter seeds at the same time.
producing new peas and naturally transitions into seed making. With faith, however, we
serve others and scatter seeds at the same time.
Do you agree? Or do
you see this differently?
you see this differently?
To comment, click the title at the top of this email then
comment at the bottom of the blog. If you’d like to comment privately,
you can email me at [email protected].
comment at the bottom of the blog. If you’d like to comment privately,
you can email me at [email protected].
6 Comments
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Spend a few minutes to plant a quick Seed. Or stay longer and plant a whole garden.
I agree that faith IS like the pea plant because as with the plant you must tend it for it to grow and flourish (many times I have "tried to skip a step" on following Gods wishes and felt my faith withering from lack of nourishment)
I also think that unlike the plant we do continue to grow throughout our lives, sometimes we may stop producing for awhile until we begin to nourish ourselves with the word and we begin to flourish all over again .
Good point Kimberlee. We can be renewed and become fruitful again, even after a dry spell. Isn't that a relief? God never gives up on us and lets us wither. He's ready whenever we turn to Him again.
I love these statements — "I’m harvesting from the garden every other day because if I don’t, the plant will stop producing. Pods left too long get dry, bitter tasting and become seeds for the next season. Once the plant ‘goes to seed’, it puts all its energy into making seeds, stops producing edible peas and dies."
I agree so much with this comparison to faith. Whenever I skip my evening or morning prayers for just one day, it seems that I have to try even harder to remember the next day – much like skipping a day of harvesting the pea plants.
Since I'm not a gardener, I never made this connection, but it makes so much sense after reading your post.
Yes, making a habit of spending time with God is so important. I started this blog because I mentor a group of women with young kids who claim not to have time for devotions. However, they always check their texts and emails. So I write this blog with a bit of scripture for them to consider and it arrives in their email (once they subscribe). It's a poke, a reminder, to spend time with God. It has worked for them and I hope to encourage more people to be in God's Word regularly by expanding my blog.
I agree completely. I love your comment: "With faith, however, we serve others and scatter seeds at the same time." That is so true!
Trish
Thanks Trish. Was if Mother Theresa or Father Lawrence who said "Spread the Good News. Use words if necessary." Actions speak louder than words. -Cathy