One Lonely Flower

Last week, as I was walking around our property at home, I came upon a bush with one large, beautiful, and seemingly, very lonely flower. In fact, the rest of the week I waited for more flowers to appear, but none did; I have never seen a bush with just one flower.  As the week went on, all of the rest of the buds merely opened up into leaves. In the end, for whatever the reason, this year that bush will have just one large, beautiful, lonely flower. (If this is normal, will someone let me know!)

Although it seemed a bit strange, I will also say it was a bit stunning.  This one large and beautiful flower sat like a prince on that bush, declaring all its beauty and attracting all the attention to itself. Unlike the rest of the trees and bushes that have a host of flowers that share in each other's beauty, this one flower was there all by itself, calling attention to itself alone. It was, as I said stunning. But it was also a bit sad.

Unfortunately, so many people are just like that one flower.  They want to make a name for themselves, draw attention to themselves, and bask in their own beauty. They talk about being a "self-made man or woman" as if they don't really need anyone else's help. And, they end up living very lonely lives, separated from those around them. 

I want to remind us today that God never intended for us to live our lives apart from one another, just to bask in our own beauty and glory.  In fact, when God created Adam, for the first time during the creation process he said, "It is not good."  What was not good?  "For man to live alone."  Yes, each one of us is beautiful individually. But God did not create us to live alone and to bask in our own beauty.  God created us to live our lives corporately; to share our lives with one another; to share our beauty with each other; and to allow our corporate beauty to overtake our individual beauty. God made us to live in relationship, first with him and then with each other.

Rather than sit like a lonely flower on a bush, find a way today to connect with those around you.  Let’s live our lives like a host of blossoming flowers on a tree that is filled with a beauty that comes only by means of living together in relationship with one another.

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10 – NIV)  “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2 – NIV)

Have a great day! Enjoy the springtime and all the beautiful flowers!

Pastor Tim Harris