A few years ago I moved into a new development. So new that when I moved in, the grass had not yet been planted. Being a home owner for the first time, I now needed to care for the lawn. Suddenly the parable of the seed falling on good soil had a whole new meaning. But that wasn’t the only lesson I’ve learned from my lawn, there are several. Here a few of those lessons.

1) It’s true, the grass is always greener on the other side.

I looked at my neighbor’s yard across the street, who moved in the same weekend I did, and his yard looked good compared to mine. It is the same way in ministry sometimes. As I served as a volunteer, then being bi-vocational, I often wished that I had the time others have who are in full-time ministry. I need to be content with where God has placed me at this time and not look at others’ ministry. You see, if you look at your neighbor’s lawn closely, you see that it has imperfections that you cannot see from a distance, and so do others’ ministries. There are no “perfect” ministries or opportunities, the only perfect one is the one where God would have you serve.

2) A good looking lawn needs a lot of attention. I have used a lot of fertilizer, grass seed and water to get my lawn healthy. If the lawn is neglected, weeds grow, and grass dies. In ministry, and our personal lives, we need to keep in the Word, in prayer, and working on our relationship with God. If we neglect that, “weeds” will grow and the lawn (our ministry) will suffer.

3) Lawns, like people, are fragile. This summer was especially hot and dry. Even good lawns suffered, and some of the grass fell away. Though I watered and fertilized as much as I could, some patches still died. As sad as it is, there will be some in our ministry who will fall away when times get hard. Not all will come to know Jesus. As much as that hurts, we must be faithful in caring for the “lawns” (people) that God has placed in our care. Put down more seed and care for it, and watch the new seed grow.

So I will continue to work on my lawn, just as I will work on my ministry and relationship with Jesus. It may not be perfect, but I will strive to make it pleasing to God.

These are just a few of the lessons learned from the lawn. I may share more later. What are some lessons you’ve learned from your lawn?