Young Alison was the boss's daughter, and born with a silver spoon in here mouth. One summer in between semesters at Wellesley, her dad assigned her to me to learn more about this business he owned. And for weeks I was the tutor, mentor, and often baby sitter of this Jewish princess, and although we were separated by many layers of fiscal society, we became friends. Many didn't like her because she was the boss's daughter, which she would remind you of, and there was more than once I knew she went and tattled on me to her dad. "What did mean old Mike do now?" I could hear her crying to him, and him consoling her. "Just marry a rich Harvard man, dear, and then you won't have to suffer the iniquities of working with a lesser class of people. Or working at all." Which may have been why he gave her to me-so she would be reminded that princesses don't work-they marry rich princes and tend the affairs at the castle. A summer where we both learned a lot, and was reminded that it was true what F. Scott Fitzgerald said, "the rich are different."
There is an old tale about a rich man who one summer decided to retreat to the family cabin at the lake. Owned for generations, it was used rarely, but kept up by caretakers, who assured him it would be ready when he arrived. And when he did found it much like he remembered as a kid, but older, like he was. Part of the deal was to have a young man haul water for him, as the well was sporadic, and had to be hauled up from a spring. At least for the time being.
The first day when this young man, in his early teens arrived, the old man gave him two buckets, and told him to keep the cisterns full. The young man excitedly started, but after a few trips was spilling more on the ground, than was getting into the cisterns. And when the old man chided him, responded "the buckets are old and leak. Only half the water gets there." To which the old man retorted, "then make twice as many trips." And noticing the water spilling on both sides of the ground next to the stony path, also told him to keep the path mud free.
After mildly arguing, mostly comprised of "can't you just buy new buckets?" and being told they were good enough when the old man was his age, shaking his head the young man continued his daily pilgrimage up the path-leaving a trail of muddy water on both sides of the path. But never on it.
This went on for the first month, and as the summer started, it got hotter, but the young man still carried those leaky buckets. And found that carrying that extra weight had grown muscles in him, and made the repeated trips easier as he physique grew. One morning, the old man went out for a walk, which was unusual, as he still did business from the cabin, and rarely left it, even having groceries and his other necessities delivered. And as he walked down the path, noticed both sides lined with beautiful flowers. Yellows, blues, purples, and greens that hadn't been there when he arrived. "When did you plant these flowers? I didn't ask you to,"he demanded. And the young man, looked at him very calmly and answered, "you must have sir. They may have been almost dead, but because of deep roots, and when the water spilling from the buckets watered them, they came back to life. Pretty aren't they, but are of a type that only grew here 30-40 years ago. My dad told me." All the old man could do was smile, almost in disbelief, as he remembered planting them, and nurturing them as a young man himself, remembering all the hard work he had put in, and he himself carrying buckets of water to nourish them. Except the buckets were new then, and didn't leak. Maybe it was more than the buckets that had sprung a leak.
Hard ground made soft, both in an old man's heart, and an old flower bed, just by consistent watering. You see God uses water in the Bible to refer to the Holy spirit, and how it softens a heart. And when a heart is soft, it grows, and produces beautiful fruit in a believer's life. Take time to look at the garden you live in-is it full of weeds from neglect, or dead and dry from life interfering with your plans? At one time did it produce beautiful flowers, or now is it hard and dry? Sometimes it takes a leaky bucket to bring the spirit back into your life and soften your heart. To grow where you are planted.
Hard ground made soft, both in an old man's heart, and an old flower bed, just by consistent watering. You see God uses water in the Bible to refer to the Holy spirit, and how it softens a heart. And when a heart is soft, it grows, and produces beautiful fruit in a believer's life. Take time to look at the garden you live in-is it full of weeds from neglect, or dead and dry from life interfering with your plans? At one time did it produce beautiful flowers, or now is it hard and dry? Sometimes it takes a leaky bucket to bring the spirit back into your life and soften your heart. To grow where you are planted.
In the old man's case all it took was a persistent young man to carry the buckets, and while he watered the ground that the old man had planted, God provided the growth-and both were blessed.
Maybe Alison's dad was trying to show her about hard work, or about persistence, or how it is easier to marry rich-but she missed the lesson about growing where you are planted. She only learned about perservering a summer without the blessings of playing. Not what God desires for you. He wants your relationship with Him personal. Don't say when "I'm rich and when I can afford it I'll serve God." You won't. "Or I'll get my career going, then become a Christian." You're only lying to yourself-and God. So take the time now, and enjoy the blessings that only a relationship with Him can afford. Don't wait, or make excuses, or think your situation is hopeless. If God can bring flowers that were dead back to life, imagine what He can do in your life. It's just a matter of where your roots are, and how deep they go. And by your fruit, we will know.
Paul planted, Appollos watered, but it was God that provided the growth. Lesson learned... in the Jesus Zone!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogpsot.com