The Sonflower

Posted by Tia Ciferno and filed in Encouragement for Daily Living

The Sonflower

A few days ago I discovered a little dandelion bringing its tiny bit of yellow decoration and the hope of ‘spring to come’ to my wintery walk. What a breath of life in the midst of a dreary season.

It reminded me of an season a few years ago when I got to experience that “spring life” in a new way. My sons were busy with a job they never enjoyed. They were cleaning out our gutters. It had been awhile since that chore was done so there were many plants growing happily in a row inside them. The boys were almost finished clearing the first gutter of dirt and greenery when I spotted a plant whose leaves looked familiar. They were very shocked when I told them to bring that “weed” to me, but they obediently scooped it up, roots and all, and brought it carefully down the ladder.

After finding a new home for this mystery plant under my kitchen window, we just seemed to forget about it for weeks while it grew taller and taller. Then one beautiful summer day as my daughter Julia and I were pulling into our driveway, we saw a huge golden blossom leaning past the corner of the house with a sunny smile. It was a sunflower! The “weed” was not a weed, but a beautiful blossoming plant that was now giving us joy every time we arrived at our home.

This was one of those teachable moments. I just had to capture it.

“Oh, that sunflower is so much like me!” I told my daughter. “Jesus rescued me when I thought my life was wasted. He took me from the gutter of sin and said, ‘You, My love, are not a weed!’ Then Jesus planted my life in His and made my ‘roots go down deep into the soil of God’s Marvelous Love (Eph 3:17).’ Now I have grown to become someone who can share the seed of His Love with others. Just think of all the seeds that will be in that flower!”

My young Julia was so touched by that story that she said we should write it all down on a big piece of paper and place it carefully at the foot of the stalk of that plant so that everyone walking by could read it.

May your life bear the fruit of the One Who scooped you up in His Hands and transplanted you into Himself. He died to own you, to grow you, to love you, and to love through you.

In simple humility, let our Gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. James 1:21 The Message