Psalm 97:11-12 Light is shed upon the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name.

I really like the turn of phrase in the Japanese for verse 11: “Light is sown like seed upon the righteous.” That’s much more evocative that “shed!” The specific image of seed brings up all sorts of connections. In the first place, seed starts out small, but then it grows. Likewise, it starts out looking nothing like the mature plant. Both of those could apply to the light and joy that are supplied to the righteous. Sometimes we don’t even recognize the light God is giving us, and mistake it for something else. It is when we receive it as from God that it grows and illuminates our hearts and lives. The same may be said of God’s joy. That’s why it’s appropriate that verse 12 is in the form of a command, because often we must choose to receive what God provides. We’ve all seen people who never seemed to do anything bad, yet they were as sour as an unripe lemon. On one level they might be righteous, but they haven’t received the light and joy God has for them. That’s tragic! Not only are they missing out on so much, they are failing to be the testimony of the blessings of God that that He intends them to be. When we focus on the “dark” areas of our lives, we often miss the light that God has sown. When we do recognize the light, it grows exponentially, and brings with it joy that the world cannot understand. It is those who walk in that light and joy who are the effective witnesses God calls us to be.

Thinking about this, my wife comes to mind. She has a medical “rap sheet” a mile long, yet she is usually upbeat and is always blessing others. That’s why people love to be around her. Sometimes it gets right inconvenient how much people want to be around her! I would be very happy for her to have far fewer medical problems, but I see how God is glorified by her attitude in those problems. She is one who takes what God sows in her and tends and nurtures it so that it grows magnificently. She’s always had something of a “black thumb” when it came to house plants, but she’s a very good gardener of what God sows in her heart. In am incredibly blessed and very grateful to have her as my partner, and I need to continue to learn from God through her, to be a better “soul gardener” myself!

Father, thank You for this clear image. Thank You indeed for my wife. Physical discomfort robbed her of sleep last night, and she has a full day ahead of her today. I ask You to guide and support her, replacing her strength with Yours. Give her wisdom to cooperate with that on every level. I pray that she would be Your agent to each person whom she is with today, so that they may not only be drawn to her, as I know they are, but to You through her, for their salvation and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!