Crops & Stones

You will never grow a crop if worry over the stones consumes your thoughts. I have never seen a field plowed, the ground broken up, or a hole dug that there were not at least a few stones.

Some ground contains many stones and some far fewer, but stones always seem to show up. Just like when plowing a field, when we begin breaking the ground we don’t have to look very hard or search for stones; they will make themselves known. Most are just beneath the surface just waiting to be stirred up to the top.

Of course, I am relating to the parable of the sower—the fewer the stones, the more soil for the seed. Let me share a story that came to mind this morning. My paternal grandparents purchased a property in the desert southwest in the mid 1960’s.

Having lived through the Great Depression, having a garden was a necessity for my grandparents. The piece of property they purchased was more rock than soil, but the diligence of my grandfather would not let that stop him.

He first decided where he was going to put in the garden, and then he began to till the soil. I remember thinking, even as a child, “how can anything grow in that?” but he would till and clear stones, then till again and clear more stones.

Eventually, my grandfather removed enough stone that some plants could be grown. Every year afterward the process continued.

I remember many times helping my grandfather remove stones from the garden plot and throwing them on the stone pile that grew and grew. (I wonder if that stone pile remains today.) Over the years, the pile grew into a long mound just behind the back fence, and there seemed an endless adding to it.

I remember thinking it was as if stones grew in that garden plot, because every time it was tilled there would be more stones. But as the years passed, through continual tending, my grandfather grew bountiful crops of vegetables that we all enjoyed year after year.

Little did I know, God had a plan to teach me a valuable lesson from my grandfather’s diligence (this is fruit still produced from his legacy). The stones will come but I (we) must remain diligent about the goal.

I’m sure if you are intent on serving God, you have in fact encountered some stones (those that are set in themselves and refuse God). I recently encountered a stone while attempting to teach through a misconceived understanding this individual had concocted.

This person was unwilling to hear the truth. The more I explained and the more Scripture I referenced, the more determined this person became to shut out the teaching (this is a stone in the garden). After quite some time over a period of two days, I dusted my sandals off and walked away.

I cast the stone from the garden so as to not hinder growth in those that can produce. In Matthew 23, we understand Jesus did not attempt to bring the scribes and Pharisees into the fold. Jesus only exposed their desire and determination to not hear and follow.

Let me ask all those who are following a calling, “are you willing to cast the stones from the garden?” Can you force yourselves to dust off your sandals and walk away as we are told in the Scripture? Matthew 10:14, And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

This is a question you must answer for yourself. I am certainly not owed an answer, but God is, and I think this will be answered in His presence. I have known some who, because the stones are so common, seem to even protect the stones and continue to attempt to water them as if they might somehow become fruitful.

I ask this—just what fruit will a stone produce? Is the stone not, by its very makeup, dead inside and out? If it did produce anything, would it not, like all other things, produce in like kind? Does a tomato plant produce corn, the corn plant produce squash, or the squash produce beans? Will the stone produce potatoes? Do we want more stones?

Do we polish them and keep them as some false treasure? In fact, they do nothing but hinder and prevent the growth of beneficial fruit. Will we seek fertile ground or spend our service planting in the gravel pit that will grow nothing but weeds at best?

We must not ask what type of garden we wish to have, but instead, we should ask what type of garden God expects us to produce! We must rely on prayer and discernment of the Holy Spirit for the answers we seek.

Note:

I am so very thankful to the Lord God for a Grandfather who, through the generosity of his love, kindness, and example, is to this day producing fruit in my life into my 60’s.

My grandfather was born 110 years ago this month and has been gone 21 years from this earth, yet his influence in my life is beneficial even today. I look forward to seeing him again in paradi

“God never said the weapons would not form, only that they would not prosper.”

Kenneth Kellar
A Man Called by God to Teach and Disciple