Last year, after not having done so for quite some time, my wife and I had the opportunity to garden on a larger scale than four or five tomato plants and a few potted peppers.

Our daughter had moved from a suburban setting to one of the state’s more rural counties, and now had access to a large and (as it turned out to be) very productive garden spot. She was new to gardening but eager to put forth the effort and endure the sunburned shoulders that are often part and parcel of the gardening experience. So, with the ground tilled and ready to be seeded we began what ultimately proved to be a very “fruitful” endeavor (pun absolutely intended).

The potato experience

My wife and daughter did much of the planning for what we would plant (I simply tried to provide the brake on going too far overboard by planting too much). They decided that potatoes should definitely be a big part of the garden, so we planted two varieties.

Because the seed had been planted in good ground, we were able to enjoy a reasonably bountiful harvest.

Now, I’m a potato lover. And two things I’ve loved since I was a youngster is gathering eggs and digging potatoes. So when the day came for harvesting our potato crop, I was looking forward to the task.

I began turning the dirt of the hills and marveling at the quality and quantity of potatoes that we were harvesting. I decided that we should keep track of the total harvest (how many pounds of white potatoes and how many pounds of red potatoes).

As we looked back on the planning of the garden, we determined that we had planted about 15 pounds of potatoes in all. When I totaled what we had dug, we realized that we had enjoyed a ten-fold increase (actually a bit more). We dug 167 pounds of potatoes from our little garden plot.

I realize that success is oftentimes measured in relative terms. What seems like a bounteous harvest to one might not seem so successful to another who is accustomed to enjoying far greater success as a gardener. However, when you find you have progressed from harvesting “marbles” to harvesting one-pound potatoes, you tend to see the outcome in a very positive light.

As I was totaling our harvest, I couldn’t help but think of the parable of the sower. I know that we all marveled at how God had blessed us with good weather and good circumstances that led to what we considered to be a very successful gardening experience—successful enough that we are gardening on a slightly larger scale this year. We’re looking forward to seeing what the result of our efforts will be.

The potato lessons

But what’s the point?

Simply this: if we have the eyes to see and the ears to hear (Matthew 13:9), we have ample opportunity to be reminded, day in and day out, through very simple instruments, of the work God is doing as He interacts with human beings. Further, we have ample opportunity to teach our children and our grandchildren about the marvels of God’s creation by something as simple as planting a seed.

So whether you plant a garden that ends up yielding bushels of produce or you simply plant a flower and watch it grow and brighten a small corner of the earth for a short span of time, be aware that it all reflects the genius of the One who has made us. It reflects back to us the marvelous glory of God who has made it possible for a small, wizened potato chunk to grow into a plant that produces fruit that delights and amazes the harvester who uncovers its bounty.

Finally, we are reminded that we can use these simple experiences to teach the young about the awesome creation that God has made.

Gardeners: “be fruitful and multiply!”

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