The Imperfect Harvest
I recently read a story about a young boy helping his father harvest grain on their family farm. His job was simple: ride along in the field while his dad ran the combine. The father would cut a small swath, stop the machine, check it, adjust it, and check it again — trying to make sure as much grain as possible was landing in the holding tank and not being thrown out with the chaff.
When he finally got the combine working at its best, he continued across the field.
But the boy noticed something: even at its most efficient setting, a surprising number of kernels still ended up on the ground. He pointed this out to his dad, suggesting maybe they should tighten up the settings and try again.
His father just smiled and said,
“Son, this is good enough. This is the best this machine can do.”
At first, the boy felt disappointed. Why settle for “good enough”?
Months later the answer appeared. Thousands of migrating birds descended on their harvested fields, feeding on the leftover grain. What he’d once thought of as “waste” became life-sustaining nourishment for creatures passing through on long, exhausting journeys.
That boy, Vern Stanfill, grew up to manage a large ranch, and the lesson he learned that day became something he calls “The Imperfect Harvest.”
What Is The Imperfect Harvest?
To me, it’s this:
Do your best. Don’t wait for perfection. Trust that God and this beautiful world we inhabit can use both your best efforts and your shortcomings.
There is so much freedom in that.
Stanfill said it well:
“Perfectionism requires an impossible, self-inflicted standard that compares us to others.
This causes guilt and anxiety and can make us want to withdraw.”
Loaves, Fishes, and Walking on Water
This idea of an “Imperfect Harvest” shows up all over scripture.
Think of the five loaves and two fishes.
The boy didn’t bring a perfect offering — he simply brought what he had. And God multiplied it.
Or consider Peter, who stepped out of the boat and actually walked on water… until fear pulled him under. Stanfill imagines (and I agree!) that Jesus didn’t scold him. I imagine Him saying something like:
“Good job! You tried. You stepped out in faith. Even though you faltered, I am here. And your offering will be made perfect.”
What a beautiful way to see our own imperfect steps.
What This Means for Us
When we take on the responsibility of trying to make a difference in our schools, our communities, our churches, or the world, we need to understand something up front:
We will mess up.
We will fall short. We won’t always get the settings “just right.” But when we know that going in, the bumps feel easier to handle. We can say: “Oh right — I expected this. I knew I wouldn’t be perfect. I’m going to keep going anyway.”
Because somewhere, somehow, our leftover grain will feed the birds. Our imperfect harvest will bless someone else.
As Stanfill puts it:
“Our clumsy efforts can lead to miracles, and in the process, we can participate in a perfect harvest.”
