Proverbs 10:5

A son who fills the granaries in summer is a credit;
a son who slumbers during harvest, a disgrace.

Thinking about this verse, I’m sad to know that many sons and daughters of today will never have the opportunity to help with a harvest. They will not understand Spring in its fullness as the new beginning, when the soil sends out its earthly fragrance and beckons to the farmer to till her, plant the seeds and tend to the rows of sprouts.

There is a lesson in patience while the food ripens, an appreciation for weather and the quality of dirt – and even a grateful smile when the fat earthworms surface from their underground ventures. Farming and gardening create a connection to nature and to God. In this culture, many are not taking that advantage, relying solely on harvesting their food from the pyramids of produce at the grocery store, or simply opening a box and adding water.

Our current culture doesn’t match the literary meaning of Proverbs 10:5, but the intent has not been lost. Our harvest is us. We must grow our lives, our souls, to be fruitful. The fruits of the Holy Spirit?

Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-Control.

We have moments every day to harvest these fruits within us and share them with others. These are the harvest tools necessary to reap the goodness God offers. We must tend to our souls, encourage other souls to grow deeper roots in the faith and strengthen our stems to stand sturdy in the storms of our culture.

This is the time of our growing. Each of us will be harvested. Judged. I pray with all my heart that I have the courage to fill the ‘granary’ with my love for God, that my fruit be the fruits of the Holy Spirit.