God is a creative God and there are few joys that compare to reflecting this divine nature in our own lives. And often this is expressed in our desire to cultivate, refine, and otherwise be resourceful with the raw materials God has given us.
For instance, Adam was placed in Eden and called to cultivate the Garden. It was a gift, and work was still required of him even before sin entered the picture. This seems to suggest there’s something about the work of cultivating that is part of our original glory. And there’s something deep in our souls that knows this is true as well.
For example, this might be through various home improvement projects around the house, remodeling our own vehicle, or chipping in to support various projects in our community. We might also work to improve processes in our professional roles, cultivate new approaches to tackle problems, or build meaningful connections previously missed. Whatever it looks like, there’s joy in taking the raw materials given to us and discovering more of its potential.
And this plays our relationally as well. Whether in marriage, parenting, friendships, or the like, like Adam, we’re called to work and care for the gifts God has given us. And this means our relationships are not given to us in their final, perfected state. In many ways, our relationships start simply with raw material that has to be cultivated. It’s then part of our relational responsibility to steward and grow our relationships – moving them ever closer toward God’s best.
To be sure, we allow our gifts to remain barren and underdeveloped when we’re not intentional about our work of cultivating.
In the end, part of the joy and glory of man is to cultivate what God has given him. Be a faithful steward of all your gifts and relationships – allowing them to flourish under your care.
Photo by Eddie Kopp on Unsplash
