A youth of godly attributes came of age. Having adopted into his person the manners of what could could only be termed the wisdom of the wise, he set out to apply himself to the ancient craft of husbandry (farming). After a few years of faithful and diligent service to another he had saved enough to invest in land of his own. The portion of time spent in acquiring the initial investment, that to another man might have seemed like "an eternity, and "far to great of an effort for a young life to make", seemed to him to be short and easy. This was because his eye was ever on his objective. For his objective to successfully execute husbandry was deep in his heart, and in fact, it was what he considered God's will for his life.
As the cash in his account grew he began to more carefully consider acreage in the area where he wished to settle that was not possessed by another, but available. He did this for an extended time. At first the options were very broad but as he allowed himself time to deeply consider the pro's and con's of each property the reasonable choices became fewer and fewer, until by the time he had saved sufficient money it had settled deeply into his heart and mind which property he would choose to purchase and begin his career as a husbandman. Mind you, at first many properties were possibilities, but as he considered his particular person, abilities, and dreams, in the end there was one property available that he thought the development of which would challenge him in the right way and bring out the very best in him, bringing to him the sense of greatest reward and accomplishment. For he seemed to understand by the observation of other successful husbandman, and by nature itself, that an extreme portion of his very purpose in being created and in living was in succeeding in his life's vocation as a husbandman.
The young man purchased the property. With a patience that could only have come from that faith that was introduced to him by his forefathers, and that he himself had embraced, a faith that instructed him that if he would without fail practice the attitudes and practices of godliness-which he understood comprised the wisdom of the wise-which are among others: knowledge, diligence of both thought and effort, perseverance with patience, investment with an understanding of the principle of delayed return, an understanding of the principle of sowing and reaping, honest labor, truth and integrity, cheer in the face of adversity, and an eye for both beauty and accomplishment- after rightly acquiring the property he began to set his hand to accomplish what before this time he had only been able to dream of. The payment was made, the property title was now in his hands with his name on it, and because of his wise behavior he had done this without undo offense to any man, without lien, or regret.
With understanding, strength, desire and deep devotion the young man set himself to the task of husbandry, determined to, by God's grace develop a farm yielding maximum productivity and beauty. The years past. The man successfully year by year saw that his union to this land, because it took into account the land's particular abilities, brought forth certain crops very successfully. He had drained great areas of it's bog land, he cut down great areas of brush and worthless trees, he removed a multitude of stumps and hauled many ton of rocks from its fields. He pulled what seemed like a billion weeds and put up a million bails of hay. He built barns, erected fences and corals for the cattle. He cultivated, he sowed seed, he nurtured both crop and farm creature. He weathered with the farm both drought and storm, in both sickness and in health, though plights and animal and plant disease, and though every variation of the political environment. He had labored both long and hard, but his application of wisdom had paid off. The farm was there. It was clean and decorative, the fields, gardens, and animal life were health and abundantly productive. He was deeply satisfied and thankful to the God of heaven that He was given the opportunity to experience this life long union with this land. He loved this farm, yet he understood that as surely as he had developed this farm he could by the application of the principles of godliness set his hand to develop another property that he had observed was yet to have found someone to care for and cherish it, which cried for the wisdom and skill of a wise husbandman. Perhaps this property could offer fruits not better than, but different from, his original farm, and he new he could never forsake the first to obtain the second. This was unthinkable to him, it was to him to be unfaithful, which is to be ungodly. This the farmer did. He acquired the additional property and by godliness applied he developed what before was only potential into abiding beauty and productivity. This he did still other times, each time successfully, until he passed from this life into the hands of the One that was the husbandman of his spirit.
HINTS TO HELP EYES SEE AND EARS HEAR
The husbandman is any given godly man. The property he acquires is the right of marriage to a woman. The farm he wishes to develop is the marriage relationship and all the fruits that are meant by God to come forth from that union. The creator of this man is Yahweh Himself, and the faith he possesses is the faith of Jesus Christ, along with an understanding of God's commandments. The wisdom of the wise is the application of that faith and God's laws, for he recognizes that to have success you can not have one without the other. His farm labor illustrates the necessary labor of any husband and father to be successful. His facing of adversity illustrates the reality that every life, every marriage, every family will face its share of negative. The crops brought forth illustrate every good and godly fruit brought forth by the union of a husband to a wife, and bringing up of godly children. The multiple fields represents the reality that the same law of God that allows a man to marry one woman, allows him to marriage another, in so much as he does this in a manner that does right by all involved, but he must never forsake one to take to himself another.
A Watchman,
Gregory A. DeHart
Gregory A. DeHart is a Bible teacher who sometimes writes under the pen name of Watchman. Gregory is the sponsor of http://AnAmericanWatchman.blogspot.com, a site dedicated to examining social issues,the preaching of righteousness, and the practical unfolding of the mystery revealed from the Bible of how marriage is a picture of Christ and the Church. For a Bible based life perspective please feel welcome to visit our site, and please feel free to contact us, or post a comment. To the end that men everywhere would acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ. As a people of faith come forth in these last days and in spite of the progression of sin, (for it will progress) to bring forth a generation where "...many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee..." (Zechariah 2:11), and ...The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever." (Revelations 11:15), and ...For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. (Habakkuk 2:14).
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