THE BIBLE AND THE FARMER
GENESIS 8:21 – 22: The Bible says, “And the Lord smelled a smoothing aroma. Then the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake,” although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.
“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night, shall not cease.” These are the words from our creator, He loves all mankind, therefore, God expected man to say thank you in whatever he produced from the soil, must be offered in sacred worship or be given back or offered.
Today it is common among Zambian tribes at least once a year or annually that the chiefs would lead their subjects to do some offering to the ancestral spirits to thank them for the good produce, peace and good health during the year.
,t is the produce from the fields that are offered (maize, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, livestock like chickens and goats are offered even local brew).
Traditional ceremonies are a replica of what was happening in Biblical times.
Our farmer today has at his disposal the good soil, rain and whatever goes with crop and animal production in the farming circles. The agricultural show is around the corner and almost every farmer wants to show what is being produced at his or her farm.
This is one way of marketing oneself. Not all farmers are known by the consumers. But through the exposure of certain farm produce coming from that particular farm, then such would put the farmer on the market. Crops and animals that have added value makes the farmer and the farm marketable in the community.
At the show, good looking farm produce is displayed and made to look attractive on the stands as well as animals that are well fleshed and groomed to attract attention from the showgoers.
Materials that are meant for display at the show must have no defects as this would compromise the standard of the items on display especially in livestock. Our ancestors in the Bible offered what was acceptable before God, not something that was bad or crooked, then this showed disrespect to God.
Today if our farmers are to market their products effectively they must take the best of their produce and attract customers. Farm produce indeed must sale. Yes, it is show time and farmers should show how well their animals have been groomed ready for the market – good looking and appetising to the eye.
,n some instances finished products like meat are shown as a result of good management. Funny enough no offals are displayed (especially entrails or intestines). This tarries with what is in the Bible, the burnt offering, the offals are considered as unfit for use refuse.
On display usually the shanks were and are washed and the head and other parts of the body are usually put on display except of course intestines. Our farmers have been blessed with the good land on which the various crops and many domesticated animals find their livelihood through grazing and browsing should equally thank God.
Therefore, during showtime it is time to exhibit what comes from the blessed land under their feet.
Let the nation know that we are able to produce all sorts of crops, the climate is more than favourable and suitable for a variety of crops in the region.
The agricultural show that comes annually is to show what this good God is able to give to this nation through the people who till the soil. How rich and fertile this land is, is through what it is able to yield.
Again when the produce of the land is displayed as seen during the show is an indirect way of thanking our God of the abundance that our creator has given to us. He is able to give to any hard working people this is a blessing.
Blessings are given to those who utilise talents that are given to them. Farming is a blessing that is why the government has seen that should the country invest in farming we shall develop rapidly unlike depending on a wasting asset such as the minerals.
Minerals once mined cannot be replaced.
But with farming the land can be renewed continually. Show time is to display what God has blessed us with from our natural resource the land. Remember in Genesis 8:21, God said: “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake.”
The ground would yield anything as long as we look after it. :ork it to the benefit of all who live on it.
So when a farmer takes his or her farm produce to the agricultural show, this simply implies indirectly that God should be thanked as the blessings of the land is seen by the produce on display.
The agricultural shows are a way of marketing themselves i.e. the farmers as well as saying thank you to the Almighty for his goodness. Once again no farmer should take to the show a defective animal or badly grown crops to show to the public.
Every farmer must show the very best of his ability to produce the cream of the land. Just like in the Biblical time, the farmers never took anything for offering which was defective this was an insult.
Today, a farmer who presents a badly grown or reared animal works himself out of business. What should be remembered is that our farmers are trying to break into the regional markets, therefore the best should be put on display.
Agricultural shows are like taking or offering something to God. Only that our situation is to market our produce and feed the nation.
Our farmers, once again, put yourselves as the people in the Bible taking or offering something as burnt offering.
If it is the animals, they should not be lame and if it is the grain let it be packed well for display, fresh vegetables must be really fresh, impress the show goers that you as a farmer are capable of producing crops or rearing animals that can be accepted at any of the international markets in the region.
Our farmer today has at his disposal the good soil, rain and whatever goes with crop and animal production in the farming circles. The agricultural show is around the corner and almost every farmer wants to show what is being produced at his oar her farm.