The Worth of Weeds

Every morning  I go for my walk around the back side of a abandoned sub division. Growing along the perimeter of the curbs, like spectators at a parade are numerous weeds. Like spectators at a parade, the weeds vary in size, type and kinds. They grow unchecked. I've often thought  how ugly they are, how useless,  grateful they didn't invade my yard! Then, after awhile  I didn't think of them at all. I was so used to seeing them that they in essence became invisible to me.

Until two days ago, when walking my route, my eyes spotted a brilliant purple something! I was admittedly confused. What was that purple doing here and what was it? I quickened my steps to hurry toward that eye catching color. It was a blossom! The weed had sprouted a blossom so brilliant, so gorgeous! I was shocked at how such an ugly noxious weed could have that kind of beauty within it's power! Then I noticed more purple. Again , I saw a unique royal purple flower atop a different weed and then again!!! Three different wonderfully lovely flowers atop 3 different ugly prickly weeds.

          As I marveled at this unlikely miracle of the Flowering of the Weeds, the spirit spoke to me as He tends to do when wanting to teach me humility and a life lesson. The thought came to me that  while I had written off these weeds as nothing more then growth to be mowed down, the Lord still sent the sun  to nourish them, sent the rain to quench their thirst and winds to strengthen their roots. The lord knew what I failed to appreciate all along: that inside these weeds laying dormant  was the potential for beauty. He knew  something I didn't allow myself to  contemplate: that in each ugly, prickly, sticker weed there lived a totally unique flower special to that  specific weed.

 At that point I could almost hear the Lord whisper, " How many people  have you looked at as weeds? How many sisters or brothers have you discounted because of their prickly natures, or ugly appearances?"

 It hit me so hard that I had to stop in my tracks.  As tears streamed, I saw faces of individuals that,  passing them for so long, had become invisible to me. I heard my inner judgements based on what I thought of their worth. I marveled that I could be so self- righteous as to  withhold the light of Christ to nourish them. That in my ignorance I failed to share with them  knowledge of the living waters to quench their thirst! That I failed to help them stand tall in the winds of adversity. All because I thought  or rather, didn't think they had  the power within them to blossom into something  beautiful.  That each person could blossom in such a way that they would catch my eye and take my breath away!

I began to see, I began to notice along this route in the early  July morning how all the weeds of every kind had somehow  unfolded within their ugliness some blossom!! Each had a bit of  beauty! 

Maybe when the Lord told Adam "... cursed is the ground  for thy sake...thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee..."   maybe,  just maybe,  the  " for your sake " was the lesson we can learn from the weeds. Perhaps they remind us  that "... the worth of souls is great in the sight of God"

It is a lesson I needed and one I will take to heart.