Openness to the working of the Spirit in both individual and in community is vital, life~giving. Without it, there will be a closed~up person, a closed~up community. ~Esther De Waal, A Life~Giving Way
My friend Anthony and I both love growing things. We love walking out our back doors and plucking fresh fruit or vegetables off trees, bushes, stalks and vines. But we live on different ends of the country, and though we both live in states known in part for farming, what grows in our yards is very different. For instance, he can walk out his back door and have his fill of limes and oranges. I can walk out my back door and have my fill of chestnuts and pecans. We are both growers, but the bounty from our efforts is very different.
Learning to plant what will grow in your soil and climate is challenging for every gardener, farmer, creation care activist and agrarian minister. A similar challenge is learning to make ourselves at home in our communities instead of forcing them to be who we wish they were. Nurturing ministries that will grow in our soil and climate rather than the soil we wish we had is crucial to the flourishing of all. This is why Episcopal Relief & Development works with local farmers in drought~prone areas on sustainable agricultural practices to create more resilience in the face of climate change.
Without creating a wholly false and manufactured environment, I will never be able to grow limes like Anthony, nor will he be able to grow chestnuts like I can. They are not authentic to our habitats. The question for every person and community of faith isn’t, “What do we want God to grow here?” but “What is it that God wants to grow in the soil we have?” What talents and resources are available in this place and time and climate? And, maybe most importantly, are we willing to open our hearts and imaginations to that work?
For Reflection
Consider your prayers or your community’s prayers for growth. Have you predetermined what growth looks like? Or do you need to be reoriented to where the Holy Spirit is already at work?
How can we catalyze change and development by tapping into the existing assets and capacities of our people and surrounding communities?
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