It’s Your Garden Now #335
It’s Your Garden Now #335
Last week, I wrote about the importance of fertilizing, watering, and eliminating weeds in your garden. It’s easy to think about, it’s even easy to talk about, but actually, it’s difficult to do. I’ll warn you that if you avoid taking action, the ground will eventually be so hard that good seeds won’t grow and the weeds will take over. I had never thought about my legacy like a garden before, but they are similar and people will depend on it.
To connect the dots, start by visualizing a real garden. Close your eyes and see a patch of dirt with green plants breaking through. It doesn’t have to be big or fancy, just see it. Got it, good. Now reach into your pocket and read the note that says, “Enjoy the first vegetable because from that day on, the food from your garden will be the ONLY food you and your family may eat until next year’s harvest.” What if that’s true? Sure, you may try to cheat the note by going to a restaurant, a store or even your neighbor to get some food, but you’ll be denied because they know the rules too. And just so you know, DoorDash won’t answer you either.
Sound crazy? Think about this; Moses thought a talking burning bush was strange. A whole army thought that a kid with a rock would fail. Five thousand people were fed by eating bread and fish. What we think is impossible, silly, or unrealistic might be the tool that God uses to get our attention.
So imagine if your family relied on your garden alone. You’d treat it like it was the most important thing and do whatever is necessary to ensure the best harvest possible. There wouldn’t be a weed because you’d do anything to protect your garden. The ground would be watered and the plants vibrant because you’d do everything to nourish and protect the roots, the plants, and the “fruit” of your garden.
So if we’d do that with a garden for temporary food, then why in the world don’t we protect our heart or our legacy with the same intention? Is it because we’re so blinded by the hustle and bustle of everyday life that we forget that today impacts tomorrow? Do we neglect to protect what matters and hope everything turns out OK? Whatever is stopping you from tending to your legacy garden is a lie or a weed the enemy has planted and the sooner you eliminate the weeds the more control you have over the harvest. Maybe it’s because you don’t think you matter enough to make a difference? Another lie, because you do and you can.
For perspective why does every little boy want to be like his dad and why does every little girl imitate her mom? It’s because you do matter more than you know and your kids are watching you, imitating you, trying to be like you, regardless of their age. They listen to your words and how you use them. They notice how you treat others and how you allow others to treat you. They’ll even form opinions about the sincerity of your relationship with God. Everything you do will show up in their life in some way. That’s the raw power of your legacy.
People will depend on the fruit of your legacy garden. So it’s time to take action because one day, your kids will grow up, seek their own way and plant their own garden but it’s your legacy that fertilizes and helps strengthen their plants. So will you tend to your legacy garden today so others can enjoy the harvest for generations or will you let the weeds overtake it? The choice is yours.
I can help you start caring for the garden of your legacy. Visit www.lighthouselegacies.com to learn how. Also, listen and subscribe to The Living Your Legacy Podcast and check out the Lighthouse Legacies YouTube channel.
