I’m a really terrible gardener. In fact, as I sit at my desk writing this I see a couple of dehydrated and wilted plants sitting in my sunroom. I love plants and flowers but I cannot keep them alive! Despite my shortcomings as a gardener, I continue to buy flowers each year for my planters. I’m pretty sure when I walk into a nursery the plants tremble and pray I don’t take them home with me! But alas, a few do much to their dismay.
One year I purchased a couple of hearty and low maintenance Mexican Love Vines. They don’t need a lot of water and are well suited for the spot where my planters reside. I went out of town for about a week in the peak of summer, and upon my return found that the flowers had died, and the leaves were crispy and turning brown. I was certain there was no hope for their revival. So, resigned to the belief that they were dead, I stopped watering them.
My neighbor came over one day and I confided in her about my brown thumb woes. After examining the withering plants, she encouraged me to keep watering them. Apparently, she plants these Mexican Love Vines each year too and knew from experience that with a little tender loving care they could bounce back! Encouraged, I faithfully watered my plants daily for about a week and lo and behold, little glimmers of pink began to poke out of the reviving leaves! With continued watering I had a beautiful display of showy, vibrant flowers!
Oil and perfume make the heart glad, And a person’s advice is sweet to his friend. Proverbs 27:9 NASB
This experience made me so grateful for my neighbor. But it also showed me the value of friendship and community. You see, without my neighbor’s advice to continue watering my flowers, I would have assumed they were dead, and would have missed out on months of blossoming beauties. Or I would have wasted money replacing them with new flowers. This got me thinking about how my close friends have encouraged me over the years when I felt like parts of me were withering away and dying. When trials had left me hopeless, I had friends around me speaking life into those dying parts; watering my soul with prayer and God’s word.
Companion Plants
The Message Bible translates the last part of Proverbs 27:9 as, “a sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” Indeed, it does! How wonderfully loving God is to create us for friendship. He puts people in our lives to refresh us when we feel like a dry wilderness.
While my execution in gardening is flawed, I have gleaned a thing or two about it from my failed attempts. And in the gardening world this would be called Companion Planting. “Companion planting is the practice of growing one plant to help another as part of a community*.” The Almanac states that by planting in this manner, the plants are more resilient, yield more fruit, and look better! This is because one plant may produce shade that protects another. Or one plant may repel pests that another may otherwise attract. Isn’t nature incredible! God has made provision for all of His creation to flourish! Including us!
Consider who God has planted in your life. Think about neighbors, church community, family, and colleagues at work. What do they provide you that supports your growth? And likewise, what do you have to offer them that supports their growth? Are there individuals in your life that you are feeling led to befriend? I don’t believe the people around us were placed there haphazardly. Take a moment to contemplate your “companion plants.” As you feel led, perhaps take a moment to thank them for their friendship and support. And let’s not forget to thank God for His loving provision of community.
Scriptures for Contemplation
1 Thessalonians 5:11
Ecclesiastes 4:10
*Benedict Vanheems, “Companion Planting Chart and Guide for Vegetable Gardens,” Accessed August 25, 2024. https://www.almanac.com/companion-planting-guide-vegetables
We would love to hear about your "companions" that help you grow. Share about your journey in the comments!