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Verse:Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah —all his might, and how he made a pool and a tunnel and brought water into the city— are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? —2 Kings 20:20
Not all trees bear fruit at the same time.
Some, like a fig tree, can bear fruit in two years.
An avocado tree growing from seed can take anywhere from five to thirteen years before it is mature enough to produce fruit.
Likewise, not all of our grandest dreams materialize as fast as we would like. Two amazing hydraulic-engineering projects illustrate this principle well.
The first is the Siloam Tunnel, also known as Hezekiah’s Tunnel. Jerusalem was under siege by the Assyrians, led by King Sennacherib.
To ensure a safer water supply, King Hezekiah ordered the excavation of a rock tunnel conveying water from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam.
At 1,749 feet (533 meters) long and with a drop of only 12 inches (30.5 centimeters), this curving tunnel was excavated by two teams —one group excavated from one end while the other dug from the opposite end, and they met in the middle.
This impressive project was all completed during King Hezekiah’s reign. Another major project was the Panama Canal, connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. Pedro Arias Dávila, the governor who founded the city of Panama in 1514, was charged by the Spanish crown with the task of finding a natural site to unite the two oceans. Over time, a number of important steps had to be taken.
Finally, on August 15, 1914, the 48-mile (77.25-kilometer) canal was inaugurated, and the first vessel officially crossed it. Although the two oceans are at the same level, the canal has three locks that raise the ships to the level of Lake Gatún and then lower them on the other side. It took four centuries before the original plan was fully realized. As mentioned, not all trees bear fruit at the same time.
Not all dreams can be implemented in the same span of time. Some of your best ideas may take more than a lifetime to become realities.
Be humble enough to do your best in everything you do, even if others will be the ones to receive the honor for a project you initiated or carried on.
If your intention is to glorify God in whatever you do (Matthew 5:16; 1 Corinthians 10:31), you will not be discouraged when you don’t receive praise for your accomplishments.