“Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.”
Ecclesiastes 11:4 (NLT)
Lawyers and farmers – couldn’t be more dissimilar, right? Well – wrong, actually. As a lawyer who grew up on a farm, I am struck by how similar the two professions are. Each must be aware of, and understand their field’s intricacies, ask the right questions, and act to make a difference.
The same can also be said for our Christian lives. The Lord has placed around us, in our field – if you will, a vast number of individuals who are there for a purpose. Whether that be our families, friends, colleagues, or neighbours – each one placed intentionally by the Lord (yes – even the annoying ones!). The question is – how do we tend to those in our field?
This devotional has three alliterative words to help us on our way!
Awareness – Whom has the Lord placed around you that He may want to use you to impact?
Asking – How may the Lord want to use you in their lives, and for what purpose?
Acting – What has the Lord placed on your heart that you know you need to act upon?
As we read in our verse above, if we wait for the ‘perfect time’, the opportunities to be bold, fruitful, and effective in our fields may pass us by, meaning, as the verse continues, we will never harvest. If in doubt – start small and keep it personal! This is, obviously, not to dispense with prudence - as chapter 3 verse 2 has already taught us, but the perfectionist in us lawyers can sometimes prevent us from acting when we should. We need to seek the help of the One who understands (11:5).
