Tend Your Garden

<p>I was so excited to plant our backyard fruit and veggie garden. Then I started to notice small holes in the dirt. Before it had time to ripen, our first fruit mysteriously disappeared. One day I was dismayed to find our largest strawberry plant had been completely uprooted by a nesting rabbit and scorched to a crisp by the sun. I wished I&rsquo;d paid closer attention to the warning signs!</p> <p>The beautiful love poem in Song of Songs records a conversation between a young man and woman. While calling to his darling, the man sternly warned against animals who would tear apart the lovers&rsquo; garden, a metaphor for their relationship. &ldquo;Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards,&rdquo; he said (Song of Songs 2:15). Perhaps he saw hints of &ldquo;foxes&rdquo; that could ruin their romance, like jealousy, anger, deceit, or apathy. Because he delighted in the beauty of his bride (v. 14), he wouldn&rsquo;t tolerate the presence of anything unwholesome. She was as precious as &ldquo;a lily among thorns&rdquo; to him (v. 2). He was willing to put in the work to guard their relationship.</p> <p>Some of God&rsquo;s most precious gifts to us are family and friends, although those relationships aren&rsquo;t always easy to maintain. With patience, care, and protection from &ldquo;the little foxes,&rdquo; we trust that God will grow beautiful fruit.</p>