"Everyone Needs Their Own Garden"
I remember where I was the Sunday morning in 1990 when Nelson Mandela was released from prison in South Africa, after 27 years of imprisonment. I was standing in the fellowship hall of my church in Atlanta watching on TV as the live pictures came out of South Africa of his release.
The whole world was watching. I remember thinking: how does someone not go crazy after 27 years as a political prisoner? He was fighting for justice, and an end to the racist system of apartheid which kept the black people, who were in the majority, enslaved, by the white people who were the minority, the ruling class.
When I think of Mandela I always think of that calm peaceful smile on his face. But I cannot imagine what 27 years in prison, and all those years of living under that un-just system would have done to me.
I've been reading a book called Mandela's Way: Fifteen Lessons on Life, Love, and Courage . The book tells us some of the ways in which he held fast to his values and to his faith through those 27 years. There is one thing I learned in that book that I had never known.
Nelson Mandela had a garden in prison, both of them. A vegetable garden, do you believe it. Somehow he convinced them to let him plant a garden. He had to cut through a mountain of red tape, write lot of letters, but he convinced them the prisoners needed fresh vegetables. He says it quieted his mind. . . while so much was withering outside, his nation, his family, his garden was thriving. He needed something to keep him connected to God's creative action; something renewing, something alive; to remind him God was still present; Even a person of such intellect and resolve needed a distraction; away from his work of changing a broken world - when the work became overwhelming - something to restore his soul.
Mandela said to the writer of this book, "You have to find your own garden." We each have to find our own garden. That something we have that sustains us through the hard times. And, no, it doesn’t have to be a garden. Both Kurt & I have brown thumbs. But we all need our distractions. We all have hard times and no one knew hard times more than Nelson Mandela. He freed a nation!
Strong leaders, strong people need time away. I’ve read article after article of CEO’s and ministers burning out. The pace we are trying to keep in this country, all in the name of acquiring wealth and power, is literally killing us, destroying our families. When I was a preacher’s kid, my friends were also preacher’s kids. Back then, preachers bragged about how they worked through their days off, didn’t take vacation, etc. And today, the children of these folks hate church. It was thing that took Dad, back then it was always Dad, away from the family.
And when we turn to Jesus, he shows us another way every time. When the work of preaching and healing with the crowds drained him too much, and he knew that he needed to refuel, he'd go out on the boat with his disciples and cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Now, sure, that was their means of transportation. But they could also relax on the boat, and take a nap. And get away. And he could go to another location and find some peace and quiet. It's a Jesus thing. - to rest and renew
My coach tells me all the time It’s a Jesus thing to rest and renew. That's why I take my vacation days. Going to the beach. In a couple of weeks I will go to the beach. While I am there I am going to:
" Sit on the beach and read
" Sit in the shallow water feel the sand
" Stare at the ocean waves
" Restores my soul
It's why we invited you to plant some flowers today at The Village- to touch some dirt and connect with God's beautiful creation.
Nelson Mandela's invitation is a good one for us: "You have to find your own garden."
What is your garden? Do you have one? What is the thing you do that is different from your work? Even your work for God? What is your play - or your relaxation that feeds your soul? Or restores your soul?
There is a difference between an escape - running away - and something that restores us.
Here at the Village we want to "Follow Jesus and Change the World." But we also have to connect to God, and allow God to restore our souls. Balancing our lives properly is a value here at The Village. Let's don't forget that important step.
Today's message is this: We each have to find our own garden - that place where we go to connect with God, to be restored and renewed - to connect with God's creativity. Jesus went out in the boat on the water. Mandela planted a garden in a prison yard. What is your garden?
If you need help finding your garden, come join us on Sunday at The Village, now at 10:30, later we’ll be adding a second service this fall. We’ll help you find what you “garden” is.
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