The Right Tools

Ooh, these weeds are tough! I thought as I pulled and chopped them in the garden today.  "I need some gardening gloves!" I said to myself, looking at my dirty, bare hands.  "Wait!" I exclaimed out loud, "Didn't I just buy some new garden gloves?"  I had forgotten all about it, but now I remembered my purchase: a birthday card, the gloves and a couple pair of reading glasses. The birthday card had been mailed, and I'd been using the glasses, but what did I do with the gloves?

I looked for them when we got home, and sure enough, there they were on a chair in the corner with a pack of utility knives Howard had bought.  Thankfully they weren't thrown out with the bag, as has happened to other missing small items before!

It was my first stint at weeding our slow-growing garden.  The hard, dry soil resulting from drought-like conditions had kept everything struggling but the weeds.  Now the hard rains of the past couple of days were making them flourish. At  least the soil was soft and most weren't hard to pull up, but some were stubborn with well-established roots.

Having the right equipment is a big help in gardening.  We had to retrace our steps to find our hoe where we had  last left it, and when I rounded up another hoe and some rakes, the going was much easier.  Being unprepared in gardening without the right tools and my battle with the weeds reminded me of spiritual battles we face in the Christian life.

Like the weeds, a bad habit, broken relationship, or sin is best dealt with as soon as possible,  before it grows and gets out of control.  It is relatively easy to pull up a weed when it is small, but when that root grows deep, it puts up a lot of resistance.

Sometimes I resorted to chopping the weeds down.  Things looked better on the surface since I couldn't see the weed anymore.  But I had to admit that was a superficial remedy, because I knew they would just grow back, for the root was still there. The Bible talks about a root of bitterness.

Hebrews 12:15 says, "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled." Rather, may our situation be as Ephesians 3:17 says, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love."

Just as we need the proper equipment when fighting weeds, we are told in Ephesians 6:11, "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."  Verses 13-17 lists these vital articles of protection: Belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the spirit, or the word of God.

These equip us for our battle of prayer, for verse 18 admonishes us, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit."  Let's not misplace or forget our "gardening gloves," or forget to read the Bible and pray, but be properly equipped for battle!