Mr. Rod McNair: Grow Something
Author: David Markopoulos | Living Education
These posts summarize the forums that our Living Education-Charlotte students attend each week.
Mr. Rod McNair is an evangelist serving as the Assistant Director of Church Administration. In a recent forum message addressed to this year’s Living Education-Charlotte students, Mr. McNair encouraged the students to engage in the hobby of gardening.
Tend and Keep the Earth
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In today’s world, there are many people who worship and revere the earth – however, Mr. McNair reminded the students that while this is an imbalance, God has still given us a responsibility to tend and keep the earth.
This element of our earthly responsibility will exist in the Kingdom as well. Micah 4:4 states that “they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.” This idyllic picture is an exciting reminder of what we have to look forward to. But we don’t have to wait to enjoy what nature provides – we can find joy in taking care of the earth now.
Stay in Touch With Creation
In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to get out of touch with reality, especially with the distractions available with modern technology. Taking an interest in the earth and growing things is a way to stay in touch with nature and reality, and to appreciate what God has created. And there are many lessons to learn from growing things – spiritually, we ourselves are like seeds being nurtured and watered by God throughout our lives.
Why Grow Things?
Mr. McNair shared three reasons to grow things:
- Connect with the Reality of God: The intricacy of God’s design is evident in the natural world. Staying in touch with that reality is healthy and important.
- Health: Growing plants, flowers, and produce helps reduce anxiety and stress, mitigate ADD effects, and decrease depression and PTSD.
- Save Money: Growing one’s own produce is a low-cost way to have some food on hand, and saves money long-term.
Grow Something!
Mr. McNair reminded the students to be practical, choose something you’d enjoy growing, and to take advantage of the climate in which you live. To conclude, he gave the students a gift: their choice between tomato and pepper seeds in a paper cup for them to take home and begin growing on their own. This “assignment” was a fun and easy way to begin the hobby of gardening at home.
David Markopoulos is a Living Education alumnus from the 2023-2025 school years. Originally hailing from Chicago, he currently works for the Living Education program.
