Life of the Gardener - Part 2 - (How to get to know your plants)

Shared expeiences

Life of the Gardener - Part 3 (Grow your plants)

Once you have gotten to know your plants, the next step is to grow them. Use what you have learned about those you are leading to direct them so they might have the highest level of impact and influence possible.

As humans we were careted to to do more than garden plants, we were designed to be gardners of people. Our wisdom, kind words, correction, encouragement and guidance provide the proper water, nutrients, and atmosphere for individuals to grow and mature. At the same time our criticism, synicism, bad attitudes, tempors, and negativity can cause others to shirvel up and die inside if we're not careful. If you have been a parent, mentor, leader or boss of any kind you have likely seen the aforementioned happen countelss times. You have seen seemingly average individuals flourish when given proper coaching, encouragement, and correction. You have also seen capable, and talented peopel crumble under misguided and misdirected leadership. As a leader you walk a very fine line many times between dynamite result and utter destruction. Pay careful attention to your plants, read them constatntly, and pray often for wisdom and discernment.

Roles - two out of three years bad

Life of the Gardener - Part 1 (Know your plants)

You as a leader have been given ownership of a big plot of dirt. Doesn't sound galmorous I know but stick with me for a second. I want you to think of your team, business or family as that plot of dirt and we're going to call it your garden. Within that garden you have all sorts of people, these are your plants. As a gardener the first things you must be able to do is identify and know your plants. They are all different, require different amounts of water and they all have different needs. Some need lots of praise, others lots of correction. Some are outgoing while others are introverts. You need to get to know your plants so that you can know how to tend to them best. They all have different gifts and talents as well and they cannot all be managed, parented, coached or gardened in the same manor. How well do you know the plants that are in your garden? What can you do to get to know them better? Asking questions, going out of your way to spend extra time togehther, and taking interest in the interests of others are great ways to get started. Listen to what the Bible has to say about getting to know the people that have been entrusted to your care.

"It is He (God) who gave some to be apostles, some to be to be prophets, some to be evageltists, and some to be pators and teachers...so that the body of Christ may be built up" Eph 4:11-12

God created all his people with different gifts so that his team, called his body, might function at its best. Your garden is the same way. The combination of plants in your care can come together to form a dynamite combination is your know them well and use each according to their strenghts.

"Train up and child in the way it should go...." - Prov 22:6 This vere in the origianl Hebrew language was translated "train up a child according to their bent...." "Bent" here means that each child is angled differently, designed differently, and has a unique way that they work best. As a parent is it your responsiblility, with the Lord's help, to determine the bent of that child, and raise them up accordingly. However, you must face the facts here. This means that not every kid will be a pro athlete, singer, doctor, laywer, or CEO. I don't even think that college is for all kids. You must let you kids, or those that you are leading develop according to there God given strenghts. As a leader it is your repsonsiblilty to identify though strengths and help bring them out.

Gardener not Grower - You're not responsible

When I was young my family loved to garden. We would spend many evenings in the spring, summer, and fall weeding, watering, and tending to our growing plants. It was on one of those evenings, while pulling weeds, that I managed to dig up an acorn with a bright green shoot attached. "Look, a baby tree," I yelled proudly as I help up my discovery. Mom and Dad both suggested that that I replant the accorn elsewhere in the yard so it could grow but I childishly insisted that my new tree should grow in my room. Even though she knew the tree would likely die, mom agreed to my demands and proceeded to assist me as we gently packed soil around the acorn in a red solo cup.

To this day I have no idea how that tree survived. I did a miserable job of watering and even knocked it off the windowseal a time or two. The tree absoltely refused to die, contniued to grow, and now several transplants later, is standing tall in the front yard of my parents house. (See picture below)

I can take no credit for the survival and incredible growth of that red oak tree and it is much the same with the lives that surround you and I. Yesterday we talked about how our actions are very infulential in the growth that occurs in the lives of those we are leading. It is very important however, to remember though that although you are the gardener, you will never be the grower. You can do a first rate job at watering, and tending to the plants you have been given but you are not repsonsible for their growth - God is. He is the only one that is capable of changing a heart and therefore, the only one capable of changing a person.

Go forward with this in mind. When amazing growth occurs give all the credit, glory and honor where it is due - to God and not yourself. At the same rate, when you feel frustrated and burdened by the seeming lack of progress in an individual remember you're not in control and rely on the one who is.

"I (Paul) planted the seed, Apollos (another preacher) watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who palnts now he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." -1 Cor 3:6-7