Growing A Legacy

GROWING A LEGACY From Lead Me by Matt Hammitt

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. – Galatians 6:9 NLT

Few things bring me more joy in life than when my marriage and family are healthy and thriving. Conversely, few things have brought me more pain than when my marriage and family have felt broken.

Meeting the needs of the ones you care for isn’t a one and done deal. You have to tend to their needs daily, with persistence, love, and devotion. When needs and feelings aren’t properly addressed, and therefore go unmet, it’s fertile ground for resentment, contempt, and bitterness. That ugly mess of relational weeds can choke out the beauty in your garden of love.

Have you ever seen a garden that was once lush with healthy plants and flowers become overgrown by weeds? As you passed the struggling trees, overgrown bushes, and wilted flowers, you might have asked, “Where is the gardener?” Well, in the garden of love and marriage, the gardener is you.

As a gardener, you have choice. You can be mindful of the weeds in your garden. Or, you can let the weeds grow, only to later spend countless amounts of time and energy fighting to pull their roots from the ground, hoping to restore the beauty of what was overtaken while you turned your head away from the problem.

Remember, in the face of neglect, what’s beautiful dies and what’s ugly thrives. It’s your call to pull, plant, and water. Trust God with the rest. Even though he calls us to work with him, only he can make the best things grow.

Consider:

What do you want the garden of your marriage and family to look like in a year, ten years, fifty years from now? Take a look at your garden now.

What needs to go?

What needs to grow?