Beauty surrounds us, but we usually need to be walking in a garden to know it - Rumi
After putting on a brilliant show of flowers the plants, shrubs and bushes are now getting down to the important business of producing seeds which will carry on the species into next year. The firethorn produces bright red berries which attract the birds who feed on them during the hard winter to come. Likewise the insects, birds and animals will feed on the fallen apples to help them put on the necessary fat to survive. (Just watch out for drunken wasps who have consumed too much fermented apple juice!) That way the seeds get distributed and the species carries on. The columbine which we met in an earlier blog matures a bit earlier than some plants. Already the seeds are swelling inside the seed pods. Soon, ripened by the sun the pods will explode scattering the seeds around the garden so that next year there will be columbine plants growing in just about every nook and cranny.
Jesus spoke of seeds on a number of occasions; no doubt because, since many in His audience were farmers they would understand the symbolism of God’s Word as a seed. Seed (God’s Word) sown on stony ground or on fertile soil, yes they could follow the symbolism of that and so, of course can we. But consider this. The firethorn exhibits the glory of God in its bright red colouring but waits for the birds distribute her seeds in contrast to the columbine which distributes her seed by exploding her seed pods. In each case the seed is spread and if it falls on fertile ground will develop into a new plant. So which are you? Are you a firethorn berry waiting for someone else to spread the Word or will you imitate the columbine by spreading the Good News enthusiastically, joyfully, so that everyone can see God in us; in our lives, our words and our actions? Surely that way God’s message get will into every nook and cranny of the world and those whom we have been carefully nurturing will come to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour? Remember St James’ injunction: “But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only.” James 1:22.
3 Comments
31/8/2015 06:29:34 am
Thanks for sharing this insight about the ways that plants distribute their seed. We have quite a bit of Columbine in our garden. They are beautiful in the Spring. Whether like the Firethorn or the Columbine the seed gets spread. It seems like God uses a variety of ways for plants to spread seed, and God uses a variety of people to get God's Word out to the world God loves so much.
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Steve Givens
31/8/2015 08:23:09 am
I love this analogy of the seeds and berries...I think you just wrote a new parable!
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AuthorI am an Authorised Local Preacher in an Anglo Catholic parish church, in the Diocese of Essex UK Archives
February 2022
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