Devotionals for the Heart: Life lessons learned from harvesting blueberries

The Mutual Blessings of Leaving a Generous Margin
A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the LORD your God!” ­­–Leviticus 23:22 NIV

The Lord’s wisdom in how to live peacefully in community has always been ways that bless all parties. But how could leaving some profit on the ground be a blessing for the person who owns the field? The answer is in believing that God’s blessings are bountiful! He wants to bless everyone with provision and plenty.

In 2017, my husband and I purchased a home with 18 well-established blueberry plants. As summer came around, we eagerly awaited a harvest of sweet treats. But we soon came to realize that our plants were putting out volumes of fruit daily—a crop we hadn’t prepared sufficient time to harvest. Picking daily, we’d return the next afternoon to a garden that looked as if we hadn’t touched it. We were overrun with produce! With such a haul, we began freezing gallons bags of blueberries, only to run out of freezer space. We were outmatched by the abundance of this garden!

The blueberries were a lesson in God’s love and bountiful provision. When trying to harvest every single berry ourselves, storing them up for some rainy day, we became taxed and resentful of the weight of our work. We no longer saw the crop as a gift. We saw it as a burden. But when we invited others to come and help themselves to the wealth on our land, something wonderful happened! Suddenly anxiety in our workload was exchanged for joy in relationship building. Reaping alongside others opened the door to sharing not just fruit, but friendship. The time spent together cultivated conversation, creating opportunity to get to know people.

Additionally, allowing others to do their own gleaning, instead of simply handing them a pre-picked portion, took away the stigma of indebtedness that can come with a gift. And being honest about our need for help meant they understood their efforts were valuable.

We often forget, as we strive to build up ourselves, the importance of brotherhood in that effort. Relationships are the economy in which love is exchanged; the field in which our hearts grow. We do well to remember that God said in Genesis 2:18 (NIV), “It is not good for the man to be alone.”

While not everyone has an abundance of berries, God gives all kinds of gifts to His children to grow and share. Sometimes we are blind to the provision of God, but His fruit comes in all shapes and sizes.

A good friend who retired from a career in nursing continues to harvest in caring for others as a foster parent for teens. And a widow with a heart for the arts opens her home to music students, appreciating the beauty of their work. These are modern day examples of God’s old school rule of leaving margin in your life for others. Both women see the extra space in their homes as “edges of their fields” that can feed the needs of those currently without. But in addition to the space they provide, these two engage with those who glean in their gardens, cultivating friendships and growing love.

Where in your life has God provided extra? Are you harvesting right up to the edge, leaving no margin for others? The nature of God is to fill you with the fullness of His love, which includes blessing you with companions that will help you continue to be fruitful. Do not be afraid to be generous, rather look for the harvest your hands are too full to hold and invite others in for the excess. In this way, the hands and hearts of a community will be filled.

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, You know our every need and You supply for those needs. Open our eyes to the abundance of Your provision, that we might feel liberated to live generously. And show us the value we gain in relationships when we share ourselves as well. Help us sow and harvest crops of love. In the Name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Generosity” by Jerome Collins. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove has a diverse background in business, fitness, and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community. 

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She was privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she’s served, Sharon sees the great need for encouragement and connection. Within ministries served, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and building cross-cultural communities has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys nature, deep conversations, and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children.

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, writing devotionals for other websites, and is working on a nonfiction book titled, The Whole-Of-Us: Putting Church Back Together.

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Connect with Sharon:
Email: sharon@sharonmusgrove.com
Website: Sharonmusgrove.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharonkmusgrove/

Devotionals for the Heart: Gardening

Beans and Blueberries 

A devotional by Sharon Musgrove

“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” 

–Ephesians 4:16 (NIV)

Gardening is an activity that God has used to teach me about His kingdom. Participation in cultivating life has resulted in a consistent opening of my eyes to God's nurturing love. I share my garden stories for building up God’s family in that love.

I planted pole beans in the garden bed that lies between the rows of blueberries. The blueberries have been in the ground for longer than I have been the owner of the property, though I understand they've been there for decades. They are well established in that soil and have weathered much over the years. They are hearty, reliable, and sure.

The pole beans began from seed this spring. The seedlings went into the soil in May. They were newcomers to the garden.

When I was a kid, my grandfather planted pole beans and because of those memories, they have been a favorite of mine. I like eating beans, but I love the fun in harvesting them! I feel like a kid again. It's like a game of hide and seek looking behind broad leaves and under a self-made canopy for the produce that looks so much like the vine it came from. If it weren't for those memories of picking beans as a child, I would not have known how prolific pole beans grow.

Given good soil, watering and plenty of sunshine, pole beans grow rapidly. Long tendrils stretch, reaching up and out, unable to support themselves. They truly are reaching out for support. This year, they found support in the nearest blueberry bush.

Rather than building extra supports, I decided to let what was happening between the two plants play out, knowing that the beans would not last but one season, leaving the blueberry bush to continue.

What has happened between the two has been a joy to observe. The rapid growth of the beans found security in the support of the blueberry’s hearty stalks. The beans reached out and curled dainty fingers around thick branches. The large leaves of the beans brought extra shade to the old blueberry in a summer’s heat. Berries developed more slowly in their shade, becoming large, juicy and sweeter than their full-sun neighbors.

It looked like a jungle mess of intertwined bodies playing a savage game of Twister. However, when you duck under the exterior to see what's happening on the inside, an enchanting secret garden of beans and blueberries grow together!

God’s Spirit touches me there, every time I visit. The church family, the body of Christ, is like this garden. There are some, like me, who have been in the same soil for decades, weathering seasons of ice and drought. There are others, in our congregation, who are young and growing quickly, needing support of the mature. Some of these young “pole beans” have stretched out in missionary service to other countries…that's a long arm!

Rapid growth periods require support, no matter what the variety. Being stretched beyond capacity means you are healthy and potential for fruitfulness is increased. This is not weakness.

The added weight from the young plants strengthens the older “tried and true.” It’s a gift of greater purpose and adds new meaning to aging lives. It is not a burden to be resented. To partner together is a blessing that is greater than the success of the individual. The fruit is sweeter!

From the outside it looks messy. Could intertwined and messy be good and tidy independence deception?

Ephesians 4:16 points out that life begins with Christ…that ligaments are there for the purpose of support…and the body's work is building itself up. In Christ, with love, let’s build each other up!

Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for the lesson of the beans and the blueberries! May we, Your church, work unified. Let us be at peace in our need, reaching out for support as we grow spiritually. May we also be generous in spirit as we bear the weight of those who require support.

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Author Bio:

Sharon Musgrove is a self-proclaimed sociologist. The opportunities opened to her, over the years, have led her on a fascinating journey observing human behavior.

She has a diverse background in business, fitness and health industries. This background led her to a unique position writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both recovery programs served women primarily from the homeless community.

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She's been privileged to participate in Leadership camps for maturing young women. These annual camps have a mission of encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young Maasai girls.

Easily identifying personally with the brokenness of the women she's served, Sharon now sees all people as needing more encouragement regardless of cultural or socioeconomic status. Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

In her leisure time, Sharon enjoys her garden, health food, travel and a good story. She and her husband, Jeff, make their home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. They have two grown children. Currently, Sharon is writing her first Christian historical fiction novel utilizing her study, experience, and understanding of self-destructive behaviors.