Hard Work and Patience
I recently volunteered at an urban farm in Queenstown.
The volunteers were tasked to get down and dirty with transporting bags of compost, harvesting the crops, trimming the plants and building soil towers for the shoots.
And at the end of it, these were some of the crops I could take home- a red roselle (Makes great red tea when boiled with water) and okras (Or as we know it, the slimy lady finger plant). Although it took little effort to pluck them from their branches, it took the farmer lots of hard work, patience and months to learn, experiment, and grow these to their optimum state.
I was there for barely half a day, but it was a hot and sweaty outdoor task coupled with multiple mosquito bites on my body. Imagine the long hours, tiring conditions and unpredictable elements the full time farmers are subjected to daily.
This experience reminded me of the imagery Paul used to encourage Timothy about life and ministry, which is to have the mindset of a hardworking and patient farmer.
“The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops.” (2 Timothy 2:6)
Farming work is definitely no walk in the park – it requires much grit, focus, effort and diligence. But the farmer perseveres and works hard to make sure his crops grow to its best state. He is patient to grow the crop, tend to it and harvest it over long periods of time.
Likewise, I am encouraged to have a similar mindset in my Christian walk – to be hardworking despite the challenges that are present, and to be patient for spiritual fruits to come forth.