Honesty

There are a number of old fashioned cottage-garden plants, often inherited from friends and relatives, growing in our garden. One that is now starting to bloom is Lunaria annua, a hardy annual with toothed, heart shaped leaves and large open clusters of purple flowers. A very grand Latin name for a garden plant but it has a more common name; honesty.
Honesty is a human trait that seems in rather short supply these days. With the social media platforms available to all and sundry these days, lies and deceptions are easily and quickly spread, soon gaining acceptance across the world. Of course this is not a new phenomenon. Indeed, St Peter writing to the young church in the Gentile community in Asia Minor at a time when violent persecution of Christianity was in the air says: ‘... having your conversation honest among the Gentiles.’1 Peter 2:12 (KJV). Since the purpose of his letter was to comfort and encourage those Christians who were already suffering some degree of persecution for their faith, perhaps we may take comfort in his message that these afflictions are only temporary and that those who suffer are drawn into a closer fellowship with Jesus and so progressively become more like Him. Indeed if we take Christ as our example, he suggests that our sacrifice, like His will not be in vain for he goes on to say: ‘whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.’ 1 Peter 2:12 (KJV).
Of course, I am not suggesting that you are all liars and cheats but are we always as open and honest in thought word and deed, with people as we should be? I leave you to think about that one.
Anyway, what has all this to do with the garden plant? Well, once it has finished flowering it sets its seeds in a flat round papery, transparent seed pod – that’s how it gets its name.