Hubby and I and our daughter were driving back home from central Washington after a delightful getaway for the July 4th holiday. As we were nearing home we cruised past a strawberry farm where hubby and I had just been to pick strawberries the week before.
Much to my startled surprise, the entire strawberry field had been plowed up! What!?!
We had just picked berries here last weekend! That was only one week ago!
And we had paid way too much for the berries we had picked.
And now all those strawberry plants have just been plowed up?!?
When hubby and I went berry picking the previous weekend we totally knew it was the end of strawberry season. We also knew that the strawberries probably weren’t going to be the best. But it seemed like something fun to do … so off we went. It would be an adventure.
As we stepped out of the car at the first berry field, the air was heavily scented with the sweetness of overripe strawberries. Here, the berries truly were at the end of their season. There simply weren’t any more left to pick.
Hopeful people continued to pull into the lot, as hubby and I hopped back in our car and headed out to the main road to search out a second berry farm.
At the second berry farm there were actually some berries to pick. They were sparce. And rather scrawny. But there were just enough to pick for snacking.
With it being the very last day of the season, most of the people who were there seemed to be there for the same reason as hubby and me … it was something fun to do on a Saturday.
Hubby and I picked/searched through the field for about 15 minutes … then we headed to the little booth to pay.
When the worker weighed our berries, the total came to $8.00!
Can you believe that little scrawny bit of strawberries cost $8.00!
Right then and there I swore off berry picking for good! We won’t be doing that again! We can get super nice, perfect, big strawberries at the grocery store for that price (or cheaper).
It is with this in mind that, just one week later, as we drove past the berry field and I saw that the entire field had been plowed up … I was in utter shock! Because they had charged way too much for their berries!
If their strawberries really truly were worth that exorbitant price … even at the very end of berry season … and even though the berries were rather scrawny … if their strawberries really truly were worth that exorbitant price then why plow up the field??
In that moment, my “blink” reaction was these two Bible verses which immediately popped into my mind:
“If that is how the [strawberries] of the field grow, which are here today and tomorrow are [plowed back into the ground] … … What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (- Matthew 6:30/ – James 4:14)
Our life is like that strawberry field.
Each . one . of . us … we are just like that strawberry field! We are given the beautiful gift of life … just like the strawberry field was given the beautiful chance to grow.
We can do wonderful things with our life … just like the strawberry field produced lots of beautiful, sweet strawberries.
The strawberry season was a good long season. And during that time many people enjoyed visiting the strawberry field. In the same way, we have a good long life to enjoy living. And throughout our life, many people & relationships come and go across our path along the way.
Society tells us that the purpose of our life is to make as much money as possible … just like the purpose of the strawberry field was obviously to make as much money as possible!
But when it came to the end of the berry season … the field was plowed up. And so … in the same way, no matter how much money we make over the course of our life, or how awesome we think we are … just like the berry field, our life ends. Our soul goes back to God … and everything else is “plowed up.”
These thoughts brought to mind a song from a record I used to listen to often as a young girl growing up. The song was titled: Only One Life.
Only One Life
By: C.T. Studd / Avis B. Christiansen
“Only one life so soon it will pass.
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one chance to do His will.
So give to Jesus all your days.
It’s the only life that pays.
When you recall, you have but one life.
“It matters so little how much you may own;
the places you’ve been; or the people you’ve known.
For it all comes to nothing when placed at His feet.
It’s nothing to Jesus, just memories to me.
“Only one life so soon it will pass.
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one chance to do His will.
So give to Jesus all your days.
It’s the only life that pays.
When you recall, you have but one life.
“The days pass so swiftly. The months come and go.
The years melt away like new falling snow.
Spring turns to summer. Then summer to fall.
Autumn brings winter. Then death comes to all.
“Only one life so soon it will pass.
Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Only one chance to do His will.
So give to Jesus all your days.
It’s the only life that pays.
When you recall, you have but one life.”
