Tip of My Iceberg

There’s something beautiful in watching flowers blossom, where little buds break forth into riotous color, their scent wafting lazily on the breeze.

My sister-in-law grows hydrangeas, a remarkable bloom that can show up in a variety of hues that create the look of a painter’s palette. I have no ability to grow flowering anything–I’m fortunate to keep green plants alive. We actually tried planting hyacinths, but the deer ate them.

I can appreciate the efforts of others even if it’s not my own skill set.

What Morita told me was that fertilizing with different things creates the color in the blossoms. She puts coffee grounds around the roots of her hydrangeas, and the beautiful blues and purples come alive.

Who knew coffee could be so colorful?

We all need to be nurtured in ways that will allow growth and hope. What we need won’t always be what we think we need. There are many times when our frustration and anger over something we can’t control gets numbed by something that will make us forget in the moment–food, alcohol, binge watching TV, or anything that can make us ignore our issues even for a brief time. That’s like throwing gasoline on a flower because it’s liquid and available, not thinking that the consequences of that choice could be more destructive than helpful.

The world tells us we need possessions, power, recognition, and control. Those things don’t provide a nurturing environment for growth–they focus more on the doing and achieving than on becoming a better person of character, one who believes values are significant and responsibility is necessary.

Jesus compares Himself to a grapevine and those who believe in Him as branches. Faith connects us to the One who gave His life to save us, and it’s in His power and strength we can live victoriously as overcomers. Not burdened by the unrealistic expectations of others but buoyed up by His power within us.

“I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me.” John 15:1-4

Jesus recognizes our need to depend on Him, Someone greater than we are who understands the big picture of all that is and will happen. If we don’t choose to know Him, we’re not forced into submission–that branch is pruned from the vine. His message of salvation has purified those who make the choice to know Him. In Him we can thrive.

True gardeners know what individual plants need, whether it’s sun or more shade, water or more drainage, fertilizer or coffee grounds. Real gardeners treat their plants with the individual respect they deserve.

It’s how God treats us. He knows what we each need–we’re not a one-size-fits-all humanity. Each of us requires different ways of nurturing to help us grow, to bloom with who we are.

Like Morita’s hydrangeas, the unexpected addition of coffee grounds creates beauty that won’t be seen other ways. God wants to grow us, to help us to thrive in life, to become beautiful under His care.

The question is, will you let the Master Gardener help you grow?