“He who wants to keep his garden tidy does not reserve a plot for weeds.” – Dag Hammarskjold (as quoted by Stephen Covey in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People). I read that quote at some point in the last couple days, and it came to mind again as I was pulling weeds from our rather neglected flower beds this evening.
On the surface, that seems like a “duh” kind of statement, a rather obvious no-brainer. Of course no one deliberately leaves a literal spot – flower bed, raised bed, garden row, or wherever the planting may be happening – prepared and ready for all the weeds. (Side note: regardless of cultural sensibilities with things like dandelions, plantain, etc, a weed for my purposes tonight is anything you’re not deliberately trying to grow. Tomato plants have historically been one of our most long-lived weeds.) The more I thought about though – and the more weeds I pulled – the more I realized how much it applies to other areas of life.
Maybe we don’t set out to deliberately plant the weeds of poor communication, inattentive listening, impatience, perpetual irritation, anger, and more. Yet that’s what grows, because we don’t intentionally cultivate anything else. We don’t plant the fertile grounds of our hearts and minds with the seeds of love, peace, or joy. It brought to mind also Romans 13:14: “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
Rather than reserving a plot for weeds, we should be making provision for the things of the Lord. John Piper has a couple sermons about what it means to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, as mentioned in Romans 13:14. (You can find Part 1 and Part 2 on the Desiring God website.) There are also several passages elsewhere in the New Testament that use that language of putting off old ways and old characteristics, and putting on the new; I think it’s reasonable to look at them as well for insight into what it may mean to put on Christ. Ones that I’ve found particularly helpful are Colossians 3: 5-17, Ephesians 4:17-32, and Galatians 5:16-26.
A practical tip I’ve picked up from a number of sources across a number of disciplines is that of pegging or mentally attaching something you want to do more of – praying, reading aloud to your kids, daily Bible reading, whatever habit you’re attempting to develop – with something you do frequently, such as brushing your teeth, eating lunch, etc. It’s my intention to weed my heart, mind, and attitude, through the help of the Holy Spirit, at the same time I’m weeding my flower beds.
What a reasonable way to get a habit started… link it to something I already do and use that as a reminder. I have better results with practical suggestions. Thank you for highlighting this method this time.😊