I was in Junior Secondary School when our Integrated Science teacher taught us Photosynthesis. Of course it didn’t stop at plant using water, sunlight and chlorophyll to produce food, there were many ‘revelations’. One of the mind-blowing ones was the fact that plants gather energy in the day but grow at night. So plants gather virtue in the day but use it at night. You might need a school fees refund if you didn’t know this earlier.
People wonder why they fail at night, and that is because they didn’t gather virtue in the day. The day time is the time when all is well– when the semester/session is still on; when you’re still under the care of parents, mentors and trainers; when you’re still a student; when you have Christian brethren around you and within reach to spur you in words and deeds; when you just enter a new phase, like get a job, etc. That is day, and the time to gather substance and virtue. The night is when all these things are gone and demand is placed on you to produce the evidence of the provisions during the day–when the exam timetable comes out, when you’ve been celebrated to embrace the labour market, when you have to disengage with brethren because of holidays or a new phase, when the bird has to leave mama’s protective nest, when the going gets rough and distressing situations compress you on all sides. The only way to not only survive the night, but to grow while at it is when, and when you gathered enough sunlight in the day. The psalmist in Psalm 16:7 said, “…my reins also instruct me in night seasons.” The reins or harness which guided him in the day turned later to instruct him at night.
Jesus said, “I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day…”. Why? Because the accomplishments of the day becomes your stability at night. Isaiah 17:11a said, “…in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish…”. Notice that it is not in the day that the seed flourishes, but it is in the day that you ability to make it flourish is given. It is the garnering period. It is the time to accumulate virtue–true friendship and camaraderie, character, skills, spiritual capacity, good records, knowledge.
When you venture deeper into the Photosynthesis process, you’ll realize that plants don’t just draw moisture and energy. They process it to a point in the day; then at night the second half of the process, and of course, growth, occurs. Plants have a motto: Make FOOD while the sun shines, GROW when it’s dark. Make that your motto. Gather substance while the days lasts for night cometh when the outcome of growth will be demanded.
GODSPEED!
