Flowers_Field

Scripture: Jesus said, “Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, . . . shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” Mt. 6:30, KJV

Flower of the Fields

    I have an iris in bloom! No, not outside in the cold, but inside the house. It was not my intention to bring the flower into bloom. The iris bed was impacted, and had a root-spreading grass choking them. So I dug them up, and put them in a tub with the intention of transplanting them. Well, things like a bout with a cold and bronchitis sidelined my good intentions. When the weather turned to subfreezing, I moved the tub into the garage. Later, when I returned to the flowers, lo and behold, there was one with a bloom on it. What to do? Pot it!
    So developed a Seed for Thinking. Quite likely, the trigger that caused the plant to bloom was exposure to the freezing weather before I moved it inside. Many plants and seeds are like that. While we often complain of the cold, freezing weather, we would not have many of the plants, flowers and fruits that need to have that “deep freeze” treatment to properly develop. In fact, if we want to “force” some flowers to bloom out of season, we   have to expose them to conditions that are not considered to be normal care. Some require a period of cold, even freezing temperatures, while others need a period of darkness or dryness. Seems cruel to treat them that way, doesn’t it?
    Certainly we as people don’t need to be subjected to conditions like a plant to get better in life. Never-the-less, “Troubles, we have some,” to quote the words of the song, “On The Wings of A Dove.” The evidence of our faith is not whether we have troubles, but whether we are able to react to troubles without anger and despair.
    Think back to when you were a baby. What obstacles faced you? Could you walk, talk, dress yourself? Of course not! But you overcame those “problems” over time, through trial, and with encouragement. Think of all the things a child accomplishes by the time they enter “school.”
    There are many times of crisis and tribulations along life’s journey. Teenagers are noted for the struggles of adolescence, which ultimately lead to maturity.
        Marriage, parenthood, and the aging process might be compared to freezing, drying, and darkening conditions for plants. Times of stress, yes, yet many people bloom and flourish in spite of - indeed, because of- that shock to their systems.
    “O ye, of little faith, look to the flowers of the field.”
December 10, 2000

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