Tip: Farmers have never grown anything!
I don’t know about you, but I love vegetables. I guess it is because my mother was always cooking a lot of vegetables when I was growing up. There’s nothing better to me than a good plate of fresh vegetables right out of the garden.
Often, when I am driving down the road, I will see a stand where someone is selling fresh fruits and vegetables. I usually stop and buy some. I know that some farmer has probably recently grown them and they are very fresh. I have always found those to be the most tasty fruits and vegetables of all.
But, if you stop and think about it, farmers have never grown anything. The reason I say that is because they don’t have that power or ability. Let me explain a little more carefully.
Do you realize that farmers only have the ability to prepare soil and plant seeds? It is not within their power to MAKE the seed germinate and grow. At best, the farmer can till the ground and make sure it is well fertilized and full of nutrients. Then the farmer can plant the seeds and simply wait for rain and sunshine that will help them grow.
Now, I know you could say, “Dr. Rohm, you are just playing with words.” But, the truth of the matter is, I am trying to make a point that you will soon see and understand.
Although the farmer does not have the ability to make anything grow, he does have the ability to have a strong influence on what will take place in his field. If he wants a crop of cotton, then after he prepares the soil, he will plant cotton seeds. If, on the other hand, he wanted corn, or tomatoes, or watermelon, or anything else, he would have to plant those respective seeds in order to have a chance for those fruits or vegetables to grow. You see, the farmer is smart. He knows that although he cannot grow anything himself, he can have a direct influence on what will come up by the seeds that he plants in his garden. He knows his influence will produce a bountiful harvest and a good response from his efforts if he prepares effectively.
I have come to see that life is very similar to planting a garden. Although we cannot MAKE anything happen, we can have a strong influence on almost everything in our daily environment. We can plant the seeds of kindness, love, gentleness, faithfulness, self-discipline, organization, and many other seeds in our life as well. If we plant those seeds and give them time to grow, we will see that our influence really did pay off. If, on the other hand, we just hope that everything will work out and we do not plant our seeds of influence, then the only person we have to blame for the lack of a harvest is ourselves.
The farmer’s challenge is the same challenge we face every day. It is called patience. We are often in a hurry to see the fruit of our labor. But, as we all know, it takes time. Even though the seeds of influence that we plant may be 100% accurate and appropriate, it still will require time to pass before we are able see the results of what we have done.
I know that farmers are wonderful people. This Tip is not to diminish or take away from anything that they do. There have been people in my own family who were farmers and I know how hard they work. It is simply to remind us that farmers cannot make anything happen any more than we can make anything happen. But, we all can be a good, positive influence and do our best to bring about a good harvest.
So, whether you are growing fruits and vegetables, or raising children, or working on your marriage, or interacting on a daily basis with co-workers, why not be the one to plant good seeds! Be the one to provide the right kind of influence so you can reap a rich harvest. Farmers take that chance every year and it pays off big for them. It will pay off big for the rest of us, too.
Tip: Farmers have never grown anything!
Have a great week! God bless you!
Dr. Robert A. Rohm
