Reprinted from The Christian Science Monitor: Biblical gardening tools

Janell Fiarman—Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

When people get together to accomplish something for their community—setting up a tutoring program, installing plants or bike racks, raising money for the library—there is sometimes a sense that everything depends on the efforts of a few clear-eyed, hardworking individuals. That way of thinking can lead to a personal sense of responsibility, clashing and bruised egos, and community activism burnout.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the communities of faith about how they could best work together toward their goals without “quarreling, jealousy, bad temper, rivalry, factions, party-spirit, envy . . . and things like that” (Galatians 5:20, 21, J.B. Phillips), conditions called “ugly parodies of community” in The Message.

Instead of depending on their own insights and energy, Paul urged the Galatians to be led by Spirit, to “live your whole life in the Spirit” (5:16, J.B. Phillips), to recognize only the animating, energizing power of Spirit in every activity.

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