South American orange groves

Before I went back to college in 2007, I owned a nursery business in which I grew all sorts of culinary herbs, some [legal] medicinal herbs (such as goldenseal and ginseng)  as well as well as unusual fruit and berry plants.  I sold my plants at local farmers markets and wholesale to other nurseries.   I loved reading about plant growing and propagation practices.  Today Yahweh reminded me about one article I read:

Years ago, there were numerous orange groves in South America where there was plenty of water for irrigation.  All except for one of the orchard owners liberally watered their orange groves and produced plentiful crops of lush oranges.  The one orchard owner limited the water his orange grove received even though he had access to plenty of water.  This orange grower produced crops that were of high quality but due to lack of water, his harvest was not as big as the other orange growers.

After several years of bountiful crops of oranges, there was a drought and limited water for the orange groves.  The orange growers that had watered their oranges liberally watched in horror their orange trees shrivel up and become diseased.  The orange grower that had limited the water to his oranges had prepared his trees for drought by limiting their water in time of plenty.  His oranges survived and continued as much as they had always did before and none of his trees became diseased due to the stress of lack of water.

Pampering plants results in weak and diseased plants and it is the same with people.  In time of plenty if people get everything they want without having to work for it, they are not prepared for when times are tough and when trials hit, they whither and die.  Unfortunately there are numerous number of parents who give their children everything they never had and their children cannot face the world when things do not go their way.  In my day, these children were called spoiled brats.  Because these children never learned to deal with the pains and disappointments of growing up, many of them melt when things do not go their way.  Some of these children were so protected the stress and normal ordeals is too much for them and some turn to drugs, sex, or even suicide still others cannot cope with the real world and turn towards expressing it through abnormal gender identities or other destructive behaviors.

What brought this to mind was this morning listening to the local news on a Christian radio station that stated that a local high school was going to do away with the traditional homecoming king and queen this year and have it set up so any of the students can be the king or queen.  WOW - these children need to learn to deal with disappointment and need to learn that things do not always go their way and they need to learn to deal with rejections and disappointments.  Instead society cultivates abnormal personality disorders such as narcissism.

The college I attend, I see younger college students that come in unprepared for college because they were used to getting good grades without having to work for them.  Instead of failing students and requiring a passing grade, most U.S. schools are now graduating kids who have none of the skills needed to work and survive in the world.  Many of the students I have seen would not pass a class in basic skills just a few years ago.  The blame is not only the education system but also the parents that insist their children pass (and get good grades) even when their child has not done passing work.  This is preparing their children for failure and is not beneficial or fair to their child.  Passing grades in school were not meant to be "participation ribbons" - they were meant to be earned.

What I have seen in my return to college a year ago is saddening.  I see kids that have graduated high school with good grades not being able to handle the simplest tasks that I had learned in elementary school.  These kids will not survive when faced with tribulation.

Some christians ask why those who belong to Yeshua suffer trials and the above is, in part, why:  We face trials to strengthen us for when there are times of persecution and trials.  Trials strengthen and prove us as belonging to Messiah Yeshua and prove our faith is genuine.  If Yahweh would give us everything we want, we would not be strong enough to face trials that the world brings on us. 

1 Peter 1
5  Meanwhile, through trusting, you are being protected by God's power for a deliverance ready to be revealed at the Last Time.
6  Rejoice in this, even though for a little while you may have to experience grief in various trials.
7  Even gold is tested for genuineness by fire. The purpose of these trials is so that your trust's genuineness, which is far more valuable than perishable gold, will be judged worthy of praise, glory and honor at the revealing of Yeshua the Messiah.
8  Without having seen him, you love him. Without seeing him now, but trusting in him, you continue to be full of joy that is glorious beyond words.
9  And you are receiving what your trust is aiming at, namely, your deliverance.