Flowers


Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass
May 13, 2008

Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. -2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV

This is the time of year that we begin to see flowers everywhere. They are in flowerbeds, blooming pots decorating decks and patios, blooms cascading out of window boxes and even flowers that are delivered as gifts in stunning bouquets to our door. There are no two flowers that are alike. They may be similar, but not identical. It is amazing that one flower of such beautiful color and beauty comes from just a tiny seed. One of my treasures is a small packet of seeds that my grandfather tucked away between the pages of a special book that I inherited. The seed packet was carefully folded over many times to keep the seeds from escaping. I have kept them for many years. It represents the lessons I learned from him of sowing and reaping through the example of his gardening. But that life lesson doesn’t only apply to seeds and flowers. It is biblical that what we sow, we reap.

For instance, take our attitudes and use of words. If we sow seeds of joy and encouragement in a person, they respond to that and flourish and bloom before our eyes. If we constantly show impatience, intolerance or annoyance at a person, we slowly crush their spirit. It is like depriving a beautiful flower of water, watching it slowly wilt.

All the flowers of tomorrow are the seeds of today. Robert Louis Stevenson said, “Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant. Today I will look at the seeds I sow and determine if what I sow is pleasing to God. Galatians 5:22 says the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness. Those are the seeds we should be planting in our life and the lives of others. The scripture today suggests that we should be generous with our sowing. In doing so, an abundant harvest will come naturally.