Cultivate

Did y’all ever watch Sesame Street?  Where they had a letter of the day?  Or word of the day?  Sometimes God speaks to me like that.

I don’t know if it’s because I like words, and that is how my brain is wired (a friend of mine says she has been “wordy from birth,” and I can definitely identify with that!), or if He is just trying to make it simple for me.

Simple is good.

Regardless, sometimes the Lord will just give me a single word.  I have been hearing the word “cultivate” for over a year now.  I have been researching it, praying it, declaring it, and meditating on it.

 

cultivate

[ˈkəltəˌvāt]

VERB

1. prepare and use (land) for crops or gardening.

synonyms:

till · plow · dig · turn · hoe · farm · work · prepare · fertilize · mulch

• • • break up (soil) in preparation for sowing or planting.

synonyms:

work · farm · plow · dig · spade · turn over · turn up · break up · loosen · harrow · prepare · fertilize · plant · delve

• • • raise or grow (plants), especially on a large scale for commercial purposes.

synonyms:

grow · raise · rear · bring on · tend · plant · sow

2. try to acquire or develop (a quality, sentiment, or skill).

“he cultivated an air of indifference”

synonyms:

try to acquire · pursue · court · try to develop · work hard at · foster · nurture · encourage

 

On the surface it’s a word that refers to gardening and plants, but can also refer to a skill or specific characteristic.  And for me, they both ring true.  The Bible talks at length about plants and farming, sowing and harvesting, and fruit.  We are told that we are to bear good fruit and that we will be KNOWN for it.

They idea is that, even though SOME things come up wild or “volunteer” as we say in the south, you have to work at the things you really want.  Rarely does something just pop up in our life, and grow just like you want it, with no preparation or planning.  And the truth is, if it did, we wouldn’t value it as much.  Human nature says we place value on the things we have to work for.

So when there is a dream, a skill, a result, or an environment that we want – we engage in a season of cultivation.  If we want vegetables, we work the dirt in an effort to make it grow.  If we want a business, we work in places, both seen and unseen, to give it the best chance to be successful.  As a parent trying to grow a child into a man or woman of God, we teach, discipline, encourage, pray, and do our best to encourage growth of the Godly characteristics we desire.

Cultivation is work.

Cultivation involves sweat and dirt and fatigue – and sometimes it gets smelly.

But cultivation is not a specialized kind of work.  That would be too easy!  No, when you cultivate you have to see the big picture.  You are constantly assessing and trying to plan ahead.  You don’t get to just water your plant, and become an expert plant waterer.  On the contrary, you must also know how to prepare the ground, plant a seed, prune a plant, and fertilize.  You need to know how to look for signs of good health and spot problems early.  You have to look for diseases, bugs, etc.  You have to ensure the environment is one that a plant can thrive in.  The temperature, light, moisture and nutrients are correct.  It’s necessary to learn how it all works together.

When I tell you that the Lord has been speaking to me about this for months, I’m telling you it’s been everywhere. Not only has it come up when I was shopping and preparing my garden (as you might expect) but it’s also come up in scriptures and teachings, and even in secular articles and things I’ve read.  It’s come up in conversations with friends, and memes on social media.  In fact, I stopped at a gas station about 20 miles from home recently.  As I started to pump the fuel, I realized it was one of the new fancy gas pumps that was talking to me.  When I looked over at it – no lie y’all – the word CULTIVATE and the definition were there on the screen.  “Okay, Lord, I hear you.  Thank You for the reminder.”

He wanted me to know that it wasn’t just busy work.  I’m not sitting here spinning my wheels in the mud, getting dirty and tired for no good reason.   No, He has a plan.

“Put in the work, Vanessa.  Put in the time and effort.”

I may not always be able to see the big picture but He does.  For me, that makes the work easier.  When I can say, “I don’t know why you have me doing this Lord, or what you are going to do with it, but I trust you,” it’s easier.  Sometimes, it feels like that scene from Karate Kid – “Wax on.  Wax off.”  I feel like a little kid asking, “Lord, are we SURE I am learning something here?”

“Cultivate.  Hone the skill.  Learn the lesson.  You can’t go where I need you to go if you don’t take care of these things first.”

Lord, let me do the work, and learn ALL that I need to learn in this season.  Thank you for the opportunity to stretch and grow and come out of my comfort zone.  GROW ME LORD!  Cultivate my interests, gifts and talents!  Cultivate the things you gave me to complete my divine assignment.  Cultivate the paths you have for me in order to make a difference in the kingdom.