Lighthouse Keeper

“The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15)

I’ve been thinking about the Garden of Eden lately. Mainly because I’ve just finished reading ‘East of Eden’. Wow what an amazing book I think I have a new fandom. 

Anyway, God gives clear instructions that the new humans Adam and Eve are to care for the garden. This is their work. 

In Genesis 2 The Hebrew word is ‘shamar’ which means to protect, serve or cultivate. We have a similar word in Maori ‘kaitiaki’ which means guardian or steward and protect. 

I was thinking about how the world would be such a better place if we all just stay in our lane and ‘shamar’ or ‘kaitiaki’ the things that God has blessed us with. 

For example, the Lord has blessed me with a house and gardens that I love and He’s made it clear to me that stewardship of this gift is an important part of my work on earth. It’s not to make an idol out of the blessing but I am to co-labour (1 Corinthians 3:9) with Him as the true gardener of my life (John 15:1).  If I run around and try to save the world in my own strength and get caught up in lots of church programmes and activities, I could be compromising the simple instruction God has given me to steward what I have. I must always mow my own lawn before I can mow someone else’s. 

If God has blessed you with children or pets or assets or friends or brains or creative skills-your central job is to steward and protect these things. Out of the overflow of your life, you can then set an example to others and maybe help them with the things they have been blessed with. Neglecting your own blessings to constantly be involved with  other people’s lives is a neglect of self (there’s some Adler psychiatry for you). It’s much easier to wade in and try and sort out someone else’s life than to manage our own. I think the modern Christian’s obsession with making a difference or saving the world keeps them distracted from the simple acts of tending the Garden of Eden God has placed us in. Just because the Apostle Paul’s work was to write ⅓ of the New Testament and get beaten up and thrown in prison it doesn’t mean that’s your work. God is writing a unique story for you. 

When Eve was tempted in the Garden of Eden, she was distracted by the shiny object of the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 3:4-6). The serpent saw his chance and continued to get into a circular argument with her about whether or not God’s instructions were clear. God’s instructions to Adam and Eve were simple and clear: to “shamar” the garden in the presence of God and not eat the forbidden fruit in the middle of the garden. 

I do this circular thought all the time. Did God really say that? Could it be that …simple? Is God that good? Maybe I need to work to earn his love and acceptance? Maybe I’m being selfish and seeking my own comfort? 

You don’t have to do life on “hard mode” to earn God’s grace. It’s a gift. Jesus says in this life you will have troubles (John 16:33) and those times will come but looking at other people’s lives and thinking you need to be “over there in that lane” is distraction. Are you looking at other people or are your eyes fixed on Jesus? (Hebrews 12:2). Are your tending your own Garden of Eden?

‘Kaitiak’i or ‘shamar’ the things God has placed in your hands and He will be well pleased with you.