Plant Mums

There are life lessons that we can learn from plant mums and dads, that could help us become better entrepreneurs, managers, christians and parents.

I have been studying the book of the Luke for the last month or so, and the geek in me enjoys the way it was written. I appreciate how assertive and straight to the point the book is, in comparison to the other three books of the gospel.

I recently learnt that Luke was a physician, and although I could not help but wonder why a doctor switched careers to become an evangelist, his style of writing made sense to me. The book of Luke felt like a research paper written to confirm historic events to a roman emperor. The original version probably also included detailed citations to avoid plagiarism.

Here is a snippet from Luke:

Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown. 
- Luke 8:8

Although this post was inspired by chapter 8 of the book of Luke, the goal is not to talk about the life of Luke but the multiple lessons we can learn from the plant mums and dads out there.

Here's what I mean:

---

The Ultimate Gardener

Every Saturday without fail, I watch my friend water his plants. I know he does this because he always posts about it with such excitement. I can only imagine what it must feel like being a plant dad being responsible for providing the proper environment for his plants to grow. This includes choosing the right pot, soil, and location for the plant, as well as providing adequate water and sunlight.

This is how I imagine God takes care of us. He plants seeds within us to act towards His purpose.

'for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose.' -Philippians 2:13

Just as a plant dad prunes his plants regularly by removing dead leaves and branches to promote new growth and prevent diseases, God prunes us to remove things that may hurt us.

Another lesson I learnt from my friends who are plant mums and dads is the importance of patience. Just like how God tells us to be patient and trust in His timing, plants also require time and patience to grow. It can be tempting to overwater or over-fertilise a plant in an attempt to speed up its growth, but this can actually harm the plant in the long run.

Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.” - Luke 13:18-19

The Creative Gardener

Being an entrepreneur and a gardener may seem like two entirely different domains, but there are some similarities between the two.

Just as a gardener must tend to their plants, an entrepreneur must also care for their business and make sure it has the necessary resources (people, money and network) to succeed.

Successful entrepreneurs are able to identify the needs and desires of their target audience and create products or services that meet those needs. Just as a gardener must choose the right plants for their garden, an entrepreneur must choose the right business model to achieve success.

In addition to planting and nurturing, entrepreneurs should be willing to prune and remove anything that may slow down the growth of their business. This may include letting go of underperforming employees, unprofitable products or services, or anything else that is not contributing to the overall success of the business.

When I speak to my friends who are builders, they often say that pruning is a difficult thing to do.

• How do you detach yourself from an idea that you have believed in for years and pivot to a new one?

• How do you let go of a team member you has worked with you for years, but is no longer contributing to the success of your business?

I will let you know as soon as I have answers, but the key point here is to always consider the long-term impact of the decisions you make.

Finally, both being an entrepreneur and a gardener require patience and a long-term vision. Growth and success in both domains take time to achieve, and both require a willingness to invest in the future. Just like how a gardener must wait for their plants to mature and bear fruit, an entrepreneur must be patient and willing to put in the work necessary to achieve long-term success.

'A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.' - Greek Proverb

The Reliable Gardener

Now that we understand the perspective of a Creative Gardener, I think it is important to acknowledge that you do not have to own a business to be a plant mum or dad. You may be responsible for raising a child, providing support to a person in need, or taking care of a 'small' task at work.

Regardless of what it is, the same principle applies and the question should be:

Could I be trusted to take ownership of this responsibility?  

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters - Colossians 3:23

---

By reading this post I hope that you begin to appreciate the responsibilities that life has given you a bit more, including the responsibility of taking care of yourself.

Finally, I heard this quote online which talks about the benefit of surrounding yourself with good people and the impact it has on your personal growth:

If a plant does not grow, do you blame the plant or its environment?

---