As our gardens grow and flourish we need to thin out the plants every now and then. What do we do with the plants that overcrowd the rest of our garden? Do we throw them away, do we let them continue to choke the plants that are not so vigorous or do we expand into new gardens by dividing them up and re-planting. These are the plants that need the least amount of care, grow in most soil conditions and flower readily. Perhaps our churches need to be like that. Take the strong and the vigorous and establish new gardens, leaving the gardener to care for the more sensitive ‘plants’. Some plants need extra love and care which the gardener cannot provide if he is taken up with caring for plants that are pushing and smothering the others. Soon the new ground will be established and flowering and before too long will also be ready for dividing up and moving. Love for the Master Gardener is about establishing new gardens and keeping the delicate, sensitive plants under our care until one day they too will be strong enough to be re-planted elsewhere.
