WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WORD...how does your garden grow?

We cannot change people. As much as we might want to, none of us can play God and reach into hearts and mold people into what we think they should be. Yet, that is exactly what we often try to do in our relationships, especially those closest to us.

Trying to change people just brings frustration to the relationship, at some point we have to just accept the fact that there really isn't anything we can do to change someone. Even though we cannot change people, what we can change is our "perspective". We can become like wise farmers.

A farmer does not have the ability to MAKE a seed grow into fruitful crop. He cannot argue with the seed, manipulate the seed or stand over the seed and demand it to grow and bear fruit. BUT, he can do things such as plant the seed in fertile soil, he can water it and protect it from weeds growing and then when he has done all that he can do ... he steps back and gives the rest to God.

Millions of farmers have reaped a bountiful crop from this process for centuries now. They know that not every seed will sprout into something, but when they have done all that they can - the rest is up to God.

Growing our relationships is much like the perspective of the farmer. It takes watering, tending to and pulling some weeds out, and when we have done all that we can do to impact others, we step aside and allow God to take over and intercede on our behalf.

In last week's YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I polled the readers the following question, "What would you be willing to intercede for on behalf of someone else?" The top 3 answers were:

1. 83% of those voting said that they would intercede for someone by praying.
2. 72% of those polled said that they would intercede for someone by buying a homeless person a meal.
3. 66% voted and said that they would intercede by jumping in front of a car to save a child.

I am so glad to see that interceding by praying for others came in first in this poll. But there is still 17% that did not choose prayer as a way to intercede for others. Prayer really does work!

Are you in a relationship where the seed of love and hope just doesn't seem to be sprouting into anything fruitful? Are you at the point of giving up? Jesus said to pray instead of quitting. (Luke 18:1) Is someone stressing you out and are you worried about what tomorrow may bring? Prayer can bring peace in the midst of our storms. (Philippians 4:6-7)

If your relationship with others was like a garden ... how does your garden grow? Prayer makes a difference. Plant a seed of faithfulness and see how God can change your situation and your relationships and then just step back and watch the seed of prayer bloom into something beautiful!

JAMES 5:16 "The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."