Too Soon

Bible Reading: Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

“We’re harvesting tomatoes today!” Aunt Micki said when Landon and Baleigh arrived. She handed them each a basket. “Be careful to only pick the red ones—the green ones aren’t ready yet.”

Baleigh was excited to help in the garden, but Landon sighed as he started picking tomatoes. He’d wanted to stay home by himself while his parents were gone for the day, but they’d said no.

Landon looked over at his sister. “Baleigh,” he exclaimed, “don’t pick the green ones!”

“Let’s see, Baleigh,” Aunt Micki said as she came to look at what the youngest had picked. “Hmm…those tomatoes are too green. But that’s okay. With a little TLC, we’ll still be able to use them.”

“What’s TLC?” Landon asked.

“TLC is tender, loving care. Come on inside and I’ll show you!” Aunt Micki led them into the house. “Baleigh, bring me a paper bag from the hall closet.”

Aunt Micki placed Baleigh’s tomatoes in the bag and closed the top. “After being in this closed bag for a few days, these tomatoes will ripen,” she explained. “Without it they wouldn’t continue to ripen and would never taste good.”

Aunt Micki looked at Landon. “That’s true with our lives too,” she said. “I know it’s hard to wait to do more grown-up things sometimes, but you’re not ready for them yet. When we try to do them too soon, we can miss out on some of the blessings and growth we would have had along the way. God wants us to wait for the right time to do things, and for kids that means listening to your parents and doing what they say—they know when it might be too soon for you to do something.”

“But you’re going to be able to use these tomatoes after they have some TLC, aren’t you?” asked Baleigh.

“Yes!” said Aunt Micki. “And even when we insist on doing things our own way instead of listening to God, Jesus offers us forgiveness, and He will give us TLC to help us through the consequences our disobedience may cause. But waiting for His timing in the first place is always the best thing, just like ripening on the vine would have been best for these tomatoes.”

–Myrical Barton

How About You?

Are you content to wait for some things until your parents feel you are ready? Or do you wish they’d let you do them now? Don’t try to grow up too quickly. Just like tomatoes need time to grow before being harvested, you need time to grow before you do certain things. Ask God to help you be content with the things you can do now, knowing you can trust His tender, loving care.

Today’s Key Verse:
Ecclesiastes 3:1 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. (NKJV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Wait for God’s timing