What do you have growing in your garden? Some of you may say—I don’t even have a garden! I beg to differ! God has declared that we are the planting of the Lord,

God is interested in the gardens of our life. He is concerned about the type and the amount of harvest we are producing for His kingdom. Unfortunately many of our gardens are planted —not by intention or plan but simply by “accident”. We hear a sermon, we talk to a friend and things get lodged in the soil of our heart. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us “survey” our land. What is flourishing in abundance? What types of fruit may be in shorter supply?

2 Peter 1:5 exhorts us to “add” some very specific “virtues” to our lives. These are things that we must add diligently to our soil. Peter starts with the assumption that we have faith as our base. The he exhorts us to add “virtue (excellence, resolution, Christian energy (Amplified Bible) to our faith. Virtue isn’t a very widespread term in our culture. One definition: VIRTUE. (2 Pet. 1:5) arete (ar-et-ay); Strong’s #703: Used in classical Greek to describe any quality that elicited preeminent estimation for a person. Later the word signified intrinsic value, moral excellency, and goodness. (Hayford Bible Dictionary) Adding virtue to our lives enhances God’s reputation. Therefore our virtuous garden is free from weeds, pests and disease. A place of sanctuary, where weary travelers can be refreshed and restored without fear of harm.

Peter goes on, however, urging us to add to our virtue and [develop] knowledge. And in [exercising] knowledge [develop] self-control [develop] steadfastness (patience, endurance), and in [exercising] steadfastness [develop] godliness and in [exercising] godliness [develop] brotherly affection, and in [exercising] brotherly affection [develop] Christian love.

The Message states it this way: So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. Without these qualities you can’t see what’s right before you, oblivious that your old sinful life has been wiped off the books.

As leaders, we must continue to cultivate these attributes in our lives. It is imperative that we, with intention, plant, develop and exercise these qualities during “active leadership” and during times when we feel we are “off-duty”.

What wonderful promises are given to us—that if these things are ours and they abound, we will be “neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

These attributes will transform our lives, make us attractive to those we are trying to influence, and simply make us an easier person to be around! 2 Corinthians 2: 14, 15, but thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. NIV

Adding these things to our lives is not easy, necessarily fun or immediately rewarding. Besides this, the enemy of our soul is seeking to plant discouragement and other weeds into our lives to hinder our progress. Sisters, do not let him cheat or rob from you the joy of growing godly virtues.

Peter continues, For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. If you have never studied this section of the Word or if it has been awhile, it may be something to consider during your personal devotions. How discouraging it is to work in our Father’s kingdom and not produce quality fruit because this area has been neglected.

While you are focusing on what to plant, allow the Holy Spirit the freedom to landscape your heart, to remove old plantings and weeds of the flesh, like bitterness and unforgiveness and you will be amazed how even those people you have struggled with will be drawn to Christ in you. Gardens are places of refreshing, restoration and tranquility—may our lives also manifest these same qualities.

Written by: Martha Rodman