We planted shrubs in the front of my house this week. After planting, we looked at our work proudly for a while and then commented on how small the plants are and how much smaller they look after being planted than they looked in the pots.

Isn’t that just like our experience building man and advancing the kingdom? We have a great idea, a vision. We put on an event or start a ministry or begin a new sermon series or Bible study and afterward think: wow, the turnout for my event was a lot smaller than I expected or people did not respond or learn or change as I hoped they would. We work hard, and our results are at times smaller than we envisioned they would be.

While my plants are small now, I know that with many days of watering and nurturing over time they will mature and add beautifully to my home. They already add something appreciable even with their small presence. I challenge us, United, to commit to watering and nurturing our ministry, our United family and our community continuously until we see maturity. I am encouraged by the small changes I see in us and around us. Those of us who are active in the church are often tired from working multiple jobs, but I encourage you to see beyond the small plants that exist now to the beautiful, mature landscaping we are creating. I am so excited about what’s ahead, United!