Tending to the Garden of Our Hearts
- Apostle Dr. Premla Mahadevan
- Feb 7, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: May 13, 2024
Ezekiel 43:11, AMP | 11 If they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple (house), its layout, its exits, its entrances, all its designs, all its statutes, and all its laws. And write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its statutes and do them.
The Bible emphasizes the importance of understanding and adhering to biblical laws and rules. Many people lack a deep understanding of the Bible and interpret things based on their own perception. God is a god of order, and many people today are lawless, leading to chaotic and problematic lives. This lack of order can result in chaotic household, marriage, job situations, and relationships.
Tending to the Garden of Our Hearts
God's Word encourages vigilance in our hearts.
Proverbs 4:23 | Watch over your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life.
The principles of tending a garden symbolize vigilant heartkeeping.
Seasoned gardeners prepare soil, plant seeds, nourish, and remove weeds.
This applies to our hearts.
The Parable of the Sower Analysis
Jesus' parable of the sower in Luke 8 and Matthew 13 outlines four types of soil: hard, rocky, thorny, and good.
Each soil can produce a plant, representing four different kinds of people.
The parable reflects the diverse responses to God's word, from boredom to confusion.
The parable could be titled 'The Four Soils', reflecting the four different responses to God's word. The seed represents God's word, and the preacher is Jesus while the four soils represent found kinds of people.
Jesus explained the meaning of the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:18-23, Mark 4:13-20, and Luke 8:11-15.
Matthew 13:18-23, AMP | 18 “Listen then to the [meaning of the] parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom [regarding salvation] and does not understand and grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.20 The one on whom seed was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and at once welcomes it with joy; 21 yet he has no[substantial] root in himself, but is only temporary, and when pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles and falls away [abandoning the One who is the source of salvation]. 22 And the one on whom seed was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the worries and distractions of the world and the deceitfulness [the superficial pleasures and delight] of riches choke the word, and it yields no fruit. 23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands and grasps it; he indeed bears fruit and yields, some a hundred times [as much as was sown], some sixty[times as much], and some thirty.”
The Parable of the Sower describes four types of soil: path (no soil), rocky ground (little soil), among thorns, and good soil. The soil in this context refers to our hearts, the ground or soil of our hearts. Jesus described these soil types: consider where we stand and which soil best describes us. The parable will help us understand our hearts.
Seed that fell on the hard path:
The seed falling on the path symbolizes God's Word falling on deaf ears, which is quickly taken away by Satan.
Such people fail to listen and reflect on the message, leading to confusion and Satan's attempts to steal the truth.
Distracted, stubborn, prideful, preoccupied, confused, or skeptical individuals are not readily able to receive God's word.
Being stuck in religion and tradition can lead to a Pharisaical spirit.
Judgmental behavior is a sign of pride and should be avoided.
Being teachable is a virtue and a disciple is willing to be taught and disciplined.
God's desire for us is an abundant life, but practicing these characteristics of unteachable behavior can get sidetracked.
Characteristics of people that are unteachable
Impatient
Often seek immediate results. They view others as obstacles to progress and prefer haste and focus.
Insecure
Fear questions, other ideas, and contradictions. View other ideas as threats to their own beliefs and can't see some biblical truths.
Lack Empathy
Often don't notice or consider others' reactions. May not consider the best interests of the community and may be selfish.
Intolerant
Often choose not to look beyond their own experiences, missing the wider kingdom vision and often refuse to consider alternative perspectives and may get stuck in their rut.
Bitter
Often get easily angered due to the world's inability to function as they believe it should and miss out on the joy of discovery and learning due to their belief in their own knowledge.
Disruptive
Interfere with the learning of others due to their brashness; often a struggle to get a word in with them and they make it difficult for others to learn.
Characteristics of a teachable person
TEACHABILITY IS THE WILLINGNESS TO LEARN, UNLEARN, AND RELEARN.
Proverbs 9:9, AMP | Give instruction to a wise man and he will become even wiser; Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning.
Keeps a humble heart. (See Proverbs 26:12)
Teachable individuals approach life with humility, recognizing that they can learn from anyone, regardless of their status or station. This humility allows knowledge and truth to find a place in our hearts, even from unlikely sources.
Approach life with an understanding that they can learn from anybody regardless of that person's state, status or station in life.
Humility is demonstrated through learning from criticism and seeking advice from others, while pride hinders receiving correction or asking questions, making one unteachable.
Learns in failure. (See Proverbs 5:12-13)
Failure can be a valuable learning tool, as it allows for the growth of profound lessons that remain with us throughout life.
Maintains a high curiosity quotient. (See Proverbs 25:2)
God utilizes human curiosity to broaden our understanding, and teachable individuals intentionally engage with people, events, cultures, and thoughts that challenge their current status quo.
Place themselves intentinally among people, events, cultures and thoughts that will challenge their status quo.
Here are some ideas about how to improve this skill:
Learn to listen. Listening to others and learning from their experiences is crucial for personal growth and leadership development, as the saying goes, "One mouth and two ears." You can't learn if you're always talking.
Understand that learning is a means to an end. The greatest enemy of learning is knowing, as believing you already know doesn't mean you have more to learn. The goal of learning is action, not knowledge, and genuine learning occurs when you act on what you learn.
Look for and plan for teachable moments. (See Proverbs 4:13) If we refuse to be teachable, we will learn painful lessons the hard way, as those who cannot hear must feel. Teachable moments occur daily, often through observations or conversations. Capture these moments to learn in any situation. Actively seek and plan these moments by reading challenging books, visiting inspiring places, attending events, and spending time with challenging individuals.
Seed that fell on the rocky ground:
The New Year's resolution to lose weight, exercise, or quit smoking can become a chore and easily forgotten.
Some individuals, like rocky soils, initially respond to the Word but it fail to take root due to shallowness of heart.
Charles Spurgeon compared this to being baptized in "boiling water" requiring constant excitement to remain in the faith.
Their idea of discipleship has no place for suffering or correction.
They often leave a church, job, or marriage if they don't get their way or receive correction.
They are not solid or grounded, and can easily sway in the wind.
Seed that fell among the thorns:
Represents a desire for something badly but letting other things get in the way of achieving it.
Examples include wanting to spend more quality time with your children but being unable to switch off from work. Or having chaotic lifestyles, which create a lot of disorder in the home.
People whose hearts are like the thorny ground respond to the gospel but are overcome by worries, greed, and worldly desires.
They resist giving up the world to gain Christ.
Seed that fell on good soil:
Seeking Jesus with all your heart is likened to seed that fell on good soil.
Good soil prioritizes Jesus, making time for Him and pursuing a personal relationship with Him.
Seeking Jesus is an insatiable longing that spills over into your personal life and relationships.
True disciples are those with good ground, accepting God's word without compromise and submitting to earthly authority figures.
These disciples produce a rich harvest and are willing to listen, suffer, sacrifice, and give up everything for Christ.
Assess your discipleship by examining the four soils of your heart. Do you find that your response to God's word varies based on different areas of your life? This leads to the question of how to tend to the garden of your hearts, as Jesus instructed.
Preparing the soil
We must not let our hearts become hardened, as it is essential to maintain a soft heart. God provides his children with a new, soft heart, but we must work to keep it soft. In Mark 8:17, Jesus questioned the disciples about their lack of bread, highlighting the importance of trusting in God's provision. Failure to recognize and believe in Jesus can lead to feelings of envy, discontent, fear, or anxiety, indicating a lack of faith in a good God. Trusting God and practicing gratitude can help keep our hearts soft.
Planting Seeds
God desires to cultivate fruit in us, such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The Holy Spirit plants these seeds in our hearts, and our thoughts and content we entertain can also deposit seeds. Philippians 4:8 encourages us to plant good seeds, focusing on truth, honour, justice, purity, beauty, excellence, and praise. These thoughts produce captivating blooms that radiate God's glory.
Nourishing the Garden of Your Heart
Wayne Grudem, a theologian and seminary professor, suggests that maintaining our heart requires diligence and the old-fashioned Christian life disciplines such as Bible reading, prayer, worship, obedience to God's word, caring for others, sharing Christ, giving to the Lord's work, and fellowship with God's people. These disciplines nourish our hearts and should be prioritized in our busy lives.
Identifying and pulling weed
We must identify and remove weeds from our hearts to prevent them from overtaking us. Weeds can be like idols, choking out God's best for us. Disciplines like reading and meditation on God's Word, prayer, and authentic fellowship with God's people can help us recognize sinful weeds. Through prayer, we can seek wisdom to help unearth and remove the roots buried in our hearts that we might miss. By focusing on these disciplines, we can work towards a healthier and more fulfilling life.
For His Glory
The beauty of a well-tended garden brings joy to others and glory to the gardener, while the beauty of a well-tended heart brings joy to others and glory to God, our Master gardener. We pray for thriving love, knowledge, and discernment, allowing us to approve what is excellent and be pure and blameless for Christ's day. (See Philippians 1:9–11)
Prayer
Jesus, create in me a soft heart, an open heart that is readily yielded to your Word and your commands. Make me fruitful, I pray in Your name. Amen.
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