Mary, Mary, quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty little maids in a row.
Sometimes when I am working in my garden, I say this little ditty to myself. And then I started wondering what it means and where it came from. So, after a bit of research, I discovered that its origins are sketchy, and the meaning is varied. So here is my take on it. ‘Mary’ could refer to Mary, Queen of Scots, or Mary I of England. They both ruled about the same time in the 16th century. Both were very strong and opinionated women who got things done.
How did ‘their garden grow’? Through the power that they ruled with, and through their lineage, which was very important to keep the line of succession in the family. ‘Quite contrary’ may refer to methodology or going against the grain of contemporary thought.
We live in a pretty crazy, very mixed-up world. What used to be valued as truth is now viewed as just the opposite. ‘Your truth’, and ‘my truth’ can be very different things. How do we know what ‘truth’ is?
There is only one truth. All truth is God’s truth. We must examine everything the world is throwing at us in the light of scripture and our understanding of how God moves in our world. There is an evil side to everything in the world today. The spiritual battle is real and is being waged in our neighborhoods. We must recognize it and be prepared to fight back. How to do this?
Ephesians 6:10-18 is a good starting place.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
By getting immersed in the word of God we become armed for this battle. Our world is increasingly hostile to people who love God and are called according to his purpose. Yes, we need to respond with the fruits of the Spirit – unconditional love, joy, peace, patience, kindheartedness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22). But, we also need to know that God’s judgment is coming. The Apostle Paul’s admonition to the Ephesians is for the church body. The church body is a community of Christ-followers who are committed to one another.
Paul addresses all believers—individually and collectively—in the final exhortation passage of the letter, as soldiers. The background to Paul’s instructions in Eph 6:10–20 is the presence and harmful activity of the evil powers in the world. Paul calls believers to resist the work of these powers by “putting on the full armor of God.” What is the nature of this “armor,” and in what sense is it God’s? The notion of “the armor of God” seems to pick up on the Divine Warrior motif of the Old Testament, and perhaps alludes to passages in Isaiah where Yahweh prepares Himself for battle (e.g., Isa 59:15–21)[1]
The list of items that make up the armor of God must all be put on. You can’t pick and choose!
First is the Belt of Truth. One commentator notes that “truth” is used in Ephesians to refer to both God’s truth (Eph 1:13; 4:21) and human virtue (Eph 4:24; 5:9), argues that the believer is to be wrapped with God’s truth to combat the forces of heresy, false philosophy, and pagan religions.[2]
The second item is the Breastplate of Righteousness. Another commentator considers the breastplate in Eph 6:14 to be derived from Yahweh’s own armor in Isa 59:17. Thus, he interprets “righteousness” in an ethical manner, referring to Yahweh’s attribute of justice that believers are now to display.[3]
Thirdly, fit your feet with Readiness and stand firm. I think this is the call to action. Be ready to account for your faith, and know what you believe and why. Be alert to what is happening around you. Do not bury your head in the sand just because things look bad! This reference to footwear is interesting because our feet are the foundation of our body. Paul, perhaps, is connecting this concept to Isaiah 52:7, “How beautiful are the feet of those on the mountain who declare the good news of victory, of peace and liberation”. Paul is urging the Christian soldier to stand in preparation to fight the evil powers.
Fourth is the Shield of Faith. The reference is not to the small round shield that Roman soldiers carried but a large shield that would protect the whole body.4 Paul states the specific purpose of the shield is to protect the soldier from ‘flaming arrows’. The arrows are the deceitful lies that are thrown at us. Society is spewing lies and hammering this speech as truth. The evil one is behind all of this.
Fifth, we are to put on the Helmet of Salvation. This is a defensive weapon. Isaiah 59:17 states that God Himself has put on all of the armor in preparation for battle. The helmet of salvation not only refers to our initial salvation but the assurance of our salvation. We can be confident in our salvation (1 Thess 5:8).[4]
The final piece of military equipment given to believers is “the sword of the Spirit”, which is further explained as “the word of God”. Among all the weapons in Eph 6:14–17, the sword is the only weapon designed for an offensive attack. However, as one commentator points out, the sword can also function in a defensive manner.[5]
Being able to stand in a full suit of armor, then, we will be prepared to do battle against our enemies. Remember that THE enemy is not of this world, and he will eventually lose. We know that in the end, God wins! In the meantime, let us join in the fight, and uphold one another so that the world around us will see the TRUTH.
So, as I tend my garden, spray for bugs and other pests, and enrich the soil with fertilizer and nutrients, so I must constantly be preparing myself. We live in a world where disciples of Jesus are going more and more against the grain. Being vigilant and using the weapons and characteristics proclaimed in scripture will help us to stand firm!
Shalom!
[1] Derek R. Brown, Miles Custis, and Matthew M. Whitehead, Ephesians, ed. Douglas Mangum, Lexham Research Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013), Eph 6:10–20. [2] Ibid. [3] Ibid. [4] Ibid. [5] Take the Last Pieces of Armor (Ephesians 6:17–20), Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Volume 16: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, Philemon. [6] Derek R. Brown, Miles Custis, and Matthew M. Whitehead, Ephesians, ed. Douglas Mangum, Lexham Research Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013), Eph 6:17.
Comentários