I enjoy gardening. This year I have attempted the biggest vegetable garden in my life. Lettuce, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, even watermelons have all been planted in my back yard with the expectation of a bountiful harvest. I envision a huge cornucopia basket overflowing with the fruits and vegetables that I have planted. But we all know that this can’t happen without work. Lots of work. Gardening involves weeding, watering, and waiting. It reminds me of our Christian relationships.

Almost every Jesus follower I know would love to have a fulfilling Christian relationship with someone who is just as passionate, if not more, about Christ than they are. They, like me in the garden, envision an overflowing of friendships that will fulfill them in times of spiritual hunger. But this, too, takes work. Our Christian relationships need to be watered, weeded, and waited upon.

The Friendship Drip Irrigation System
Your garden won’t make it too long without water. And, in the heat of the summer, you can’t just wait for the rain to nourish the gardens, you need a watering plan. Our Christian relationships are exactly the same way. Too many people are waiting for their relationship garden to be watered, when they need a plan to help nurture those Christian relationships. When we wait for the water to come to us, it could be too late. We could be too dried up. We need to have a means to nurture our spiritual relationships that can meet even our daily needs. This can be difficult for some because it means stepping out and initiating. So, why not start slow; invite someone out for coffee, or have a family over for dinner? For those who have Christian relationships already, why not bring them to the next level by asking that person to be an accountability partner? The key is to create relationships that can help you get you through the “dry times” in your life.

You Have to Pull From The Root
Weeds are no one’s friend when it comes to gardening. They steal nutrients from the soil, and soak up water that is intended for the plants your are trying to grow. There are weeds in our relationships that hurt our relationship fruit. One type is busyness. We fill our lives with so much that we actually don’t have time to develop deep spiritual relationships. This is a tough weed to pull, but if we don’t pull it, we will not reap the harvest of strong spiritual relationships. Another tough weed to pull is bitterness. When we have a grudge in our hearts we cannot connect with others. This weed has deep roots and it takes prayer, forgiveness, and patience to pull. Ridding our lives of weeds like these gives plenty of room to the good fruit we want to grow.

Patience is a Virtue
As much as I want to eat the harvest of my garden, I know that it will be months before I enjoy some of my effort. The same principle applies with spiritual relationships. You have to nurture them through time. I know there is a great debate over “Quality versus Quantity” time when it comes to relationship building. However, to me, there is no debate; quantity time wins every time. Sure, it is fun to do something special to build a relationship, but it is the quantity of time together that really grows a healthy spiritual relationship. More time equals more opportunities to deepen the relationship. You don’t have to be at Disneyland to do that.

How is your spiritual relationship garden? Dry? Weedy? Don’t let this summer pass by without being prepared to nurture your relationship garden. You will reap a cornucopia of spiritual fruit if you do.