The Garden Row That Needed Weeding

Ben had a little row of carrots in the garden. At planting time he worked eagerly, pressing seeds into the soil and patting the earth smooth. He checked for green shoots every morning.

Once the carrots began growing, the job seemed less exciting. Weeds appeared between the rows. Ben promised to pull them after breakfast, then after lunch, then another day. Soon the weeds were taller than the carrot leaves.

Grandmother came to help in the garden. She showed Ben a line of ants carrying tiny pieces toward their nest. Each ant's load looked small, but the line kept moving. Then she looked at the carrot row beside him.

Ben fetched his gloves. Grandmother helped him tell the weeds from the carrots, and they worked for a short time together. They stopped for water when the sun grew warm. The next morning Ben pulled the few new weeds before starting his game.

The row became easier to care for when he gave it a little attention each day. He did not have to do every garden job, but the small row entrusted to him needed steady care.

God's Word uses the ant to teach diligence. A good beginning should be followed by faithful work. Ben discovered that ten useful minutes today could prevent a much larger tangle later. The carrots grew quietly while he learned to keep showing up.