It has been fascinating to watch the growth of the lettuce in my planter tray (from my Christmas Advent Seed Calendar). In this planter tray are Butterhead Lettuce, Arugula, and Basil. Each week I heavily harvest the leaves, and we enjoy them in our salads, Spring Rolls, in our pasta and pizza, and this week I even just ate mini tomatoes with fresh basil for lunch. The more I pick the leaves … the more new growth is encouraged.
By harvesting the leaves, it opens up new space and new opportunity for the new little leaves to grow.
The Cress, on the other hand, I have not been harvesting as much … and it is already beginning to flower and go to seed. Once it goes to seed, all the new growth of new green leaves stops.
This is what happens in our lives. The more we give, the more we grow. As we give love away to other people, it opens up new space in our heart for more love to grow. As we give kindness away to other people, it opens up new space in our heart for more kindness to grow.
As we give forgiveness away, it opens up space in our heart for us to be healthy and flourishing.
However, it we do not give … we will cease to grow. Just like the Cress which has not been harvested, and the production of new leaves is diminishing, if we never give, we too will stop growing. We will stop being fruitful.
The more we give, the more we grow.
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” – Luke 6:38
