I decided to try a “Florida weave” trellis for the peas this year. As the peas grow I add another row of twine and “weave” it between the plants to support them. I went out the other day to add another row of twine but some of the plants were very uncooperative. They just didn’t understand that the twine I was putting around them was for their own good, to help them stay safe and to grow properly.
Some of the peas insisted on lying on the ground, rejecting the restrictions of the twine altogether. Sadly, they were occasionally accidentally stepped on and bruised.
Others peas were dragged down by the tendrils of the rebellious plants close to them. It was painful to separate them; some of the tendrils had to be torn apart.
And no matter how carefully I tried to correct the contrary peas, some of them resisted and suffered broken branches before I was able to put them back into the safety of the twine trellis.
It occurred to me that perhaps that is how the Master Gardener sees us when we resist the guidelines He gave us for our own good, complaining that they are too restrictive. In our rebellion we may end up getting bruised. Sometimes we hang out with those who would drag us down and we may have to have a painful break in a relationship before we get back on track. And often we resist His gentle correction and are broken.
I want to be like the pea plants that stay safely in the twine, growing strong and being productive.
