For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. (1 Thess. 4:2)
Expanded Passage: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2
A well-kept garden is a thing of beauty. Some gardens are filled with different types of flowers; other gardens have plants and vegetables. The process of growing and pruning a garden can take a lot of hard work. Growing up in South America my mother would grow okra and other produce that we could cook. She would tell my siblings and me when to water the vegetation and when to leave it alone. My mother knew exactly how to care for what she had planted. The joy of collecting fresh vegetables from the garden negated the period of sowing and waiting.
Anything with the potential to grow needs to be fed and watered accordingly. It will also require some level of patience. Following the instructions of Christ is the same. As we are seeking to live for Christ, we have the Bible to guide us, but we must practice the words of Scripture. We must also be patient with ourselves as we grow. Additionally, it is important for us to encourage other believers to do the same. Complacency can lead to the undoing of the effort that we have put in. Imagine the outcome of a garden being left for days without water. If we take the necessary steps to grow our spiritual life, we will reap the fruits of our labor.
Spend time tending your spiritual garden to make it fruitful.
Olivia Isra’el is a wife, mother, and a CBT therapist who enjoys writing. She is grateful to convey the love of God through text.
© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
