My family lived in Cypress, California, for 18 wonderful years, and we will be saying goodbye to the house that helped us raise three children from preschool to adulthood. One of our favorite features of the home that we will miss is the avocado tree in the backyard. You have to understand that Cathy and I do not have green thumbs. In fact, I am so bad with plants and gardening that someone from my previous congregation bought me a fake plant because these cannot "die" under my care. It is a minor miracle that this tree survived. We will miss eating these delicious avocados and sharing them with our neighbors and friends.
A few days ago, I noticed that every branch was covered with tiny avocados, and it looked nearly double the harvest of prior years! My initial reaction was shock and then sadness as we will miss this harvest. But then it turned to a strange joy. How beautiful that the next owners of this house will inherit a tree with a blessing of hundreds of avocados!
In a time of rampant consumerism that shouts "you need this" and "get whatever makes you happy," there was something refreshing about leaving behind a blessing that would not directly benefit me or my household but complete strangers. There can be a cynicism in our hearts that looks at acts of grace with suspicion and asks, "What is the true intention of this gift?" In the Kingdom of God, grace abounds. We receive God's gift of grace so that we may freely impart grace to others. No strings attached. Just selfless service and love in action. Whether it's God's love, material blessings, or even an avocado tree, the truly happy person is someone who understands that the secret of true joy is giving, not receiving. In his farewell address, the Apostle Paul said, "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’" (Acts 20:35). In Christ, there is genuine gladness in giving to others rather than accumulating.
The lesson from this avocado tree is that as God gives you and me so many good things, they are not necessarily meant for just our consumption or accumulation. Sharing, giving, and even leaving something behind for another person are all marks of a truly blessed life. Is this not part of what Jesus meant in Luke 6:31 when he said, "Do to others as you would have them do to you"? Perhaps one of the clearest signs that we understand God's grace is our willingness to leave blessings behind for others.
Pastor Jason