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Compassion

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Get Real with God

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"If dandelions were hard to grow, they would be most welcome on any lawn." - Andrew Mason

Dandelions are not hard to grow. Maybe that's why I have so many in my yard.
They are wild and easy to please. They are sunny and children are often drawn to them for their cheery appearance. The truth is, they aren't really flowers at all. Dandelions are merely deceptive weeds that take on a cunning appearance with the intent of stealing the life and true beauty from your garden.

My kids love picking dandelions, but they have learned that to bring one inside will cause their Daddy's eyes to get puffy, red and watery. Dandelions make their Daddy miserable, but they just can't seem to leave those "pretty flowers" alone.

Sin too is like this. It's subtle and alluring and it can pop up in the most innocent of circumstances. To the eye it seems good, but it has the distinct intention to destroy. Handle one of these little "flowers" and your hands will be stained, a dirty residue will form on your hands that is stubborn and difficult to remove.

The destruction began a long time ago. It started with an exquisite looking angel. He was so lovely that a group of angels began to follow him around. Maybe they were captivated by his stunning glow or his extensive musical ability. They may have praised him for his talents and appearance. They listened to him and believed that he was wise. He seemed so right, the very picture of perfection. He was a dandelion.

In time, the angel began to grow in ambition. He formed ideas that were contrary to is Maker. In fact, he began to secretly question his Maker on everything. Eventually the secret questions stirred his heart so violently that he shared them (in his own charismatic way) with the captivated group following him around. His ideas began to make them cynical of their Maker too and, in time, they followed this beautiful angel as he plotted a revolt.

This angel was called morning star, Lucifer, and Satan. Your kids probably call him the Devil. You can read about him in Isaiah 14: 11-13. He didn't wear red and carry a cartoon pitchfork. He was beautiful. He was also very destructive. His revolt led to an exodus of 1/3 of the angels in Heaven! He went out big and he never quit his momentum as time passed. He fails, only to form another strategy.

Like a dandelion, he spreads out and seeks a new garden to destroy. If unchallenged, he will infect the flowers, wilting them, robbing them of nutrients and destroying their color.
Though he makes our Heavenly Daddy's eyes swell with tears, we are drawn to him just the same.

It takes work to be a flower, but a dandelion's life is easy and epidemic. Flowers have to fight the elements and weather the storms. They are valued for their beauty, but also for challenges they endure. They are strengthened and treasured for their vulnerability in the hands of the Gardener. They are splashes of color on a gloomy day, and an apology after a fight. They are hard to grow and easy to love.

Likewise, the life of a Mom isn't easy. Like a beautiful garden flower, we are fragile and easily broken. We crave a refreshing rain to pour some energy and life into us. We battle the elements: the crying baby, and the child afraid of the dark, the crayon masterpiece doodled on our newly painted walls, and emotions that can't be explained in language anyone else could discern. We fight to bring color and beauty to our homes and our tenacity pays off. We are treasured not merely for our presence, but for all we battle just to be present.

When we read that extra story at bedtime, even though we can hardly keep our eyes open, we emit a scent of love that is beautiful to our children. The rallying determination to show love (no matter what) makes us treasured in their eyes.

A Mother's life goal is to ensure that when our children grow to adulthood, they will discern the flower from the weed. We pray with our whole hearts that the dandelion will be ground up mercilessly under the wheels of their lawn mowers.

This is the goal, the prayer and the motivation of Christian mothers.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Beautifully said and written!

Thank you for sharing His wisdom with us today!

Blessings,
JIll

cooperkelly4 said...

so good! so true too. I love how God uses nature to teach is biblical principles in every day life. =0)