As I was out riding my bike this morning before coming into work, I was talking to God. Okay, no, actually, I was complaining to God. I was complaining about finances. I was expressing frustration with some of my friendships. I was upset about...., well, you get the idea. I was complaining.
So, I 'm cruising along, tense and rather unhappy deep inside, and I look over and see some beautiful morning glories. They are climbing slowly up the cornstalks in a field, facing east. As the sun was rising, they were brilliantly open and shining. I love seeing them when I ride. Immediately I started thinking about how awesome and beautiful they were, and I heard God remind me "I care for the flowers of the field. I clothe them and watch over them, and they are just flowers that are here today and burned up tomorrow. Why are you so worried that I won't take care of you and all the "problems" you are dumping on me?"
It's been a pretty constant theme the past several months. I worry, God says "Wait. Don't worry. I have you." But the flowers hit me and drove it all home again. He has me. In the much used words, I need to "bloom where I'm planted." I need to face the sun and shine just like they do. They make their quiet section of nameless corn field so beautiful. It's my job to do the same. I need to make my small piece of the world more beautiful. Complaining won't get me there.
As I'm having this conversation with God, He reminds me of our yard. We have five huge, very old (100 years or so) walnut trees across the front of our yard. They define our house, they anchor everything around them, and they are focal point of the yard. They are also poisonous. I never knew it till we moved into our house a couple of years ago, but walnut trees put acid into the soil around them, and will kill most other plants trying to grow in their area. A few trees can grow near a walnut, but not many. They are poisonous. They don't mean to be, it's not a defense or a planned attack. They just emit acid and kill other things when they stand there.
God asked me which I want to be? Do I want to be a morning glory, or a walnut tree? My attitude and faith will drive me in one direction or the other. It's up to me. Gratitude or grumbling? Bitterness or beauty? Humble or hateful? It's all up to me.
And you. Which will you be today?
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1 comments:
Dead on. I needed to read that today. Thanks.
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