Dear friends,
In our family Jane and Miranda are the plant people. Jane has been able to grow things as long as I have known her and beyond. I have been able to admire the plants from the beginning of our relationship. That’s my job. I observe, ask questions and compliment. It works well for us. I don’t meddle or mess with the plants. I rarely even water the plants (for fear of drowning them). There is one plant that I picked out and watch with particular interest but that story is for another day. Today, I want to tell you about the hibiscus plant, known as Mr. H.
We have owned Mr. H. for many, many years. He has blossomed lovely red flowers, no, I mean to say gorgeous red flowers for well over two decades. Over the years Jane has provided much tender loving care for Mr. Hibiscus. She has faithfully watered him, given him special plant food, repotted him, refreshed the soil, put him in the sunshine in the warmth of the summer and placed him by a sun filled window in winter. A few months ago Jane was inspecting Mr. Hibiscus and observed that he really was ready for the floral afterlife. Perhaps it was time to say good-bye and place another plant in the clay pot in which Mr. H has lived for so long.
Now I don’t usually interfere with Miss Jane’s decisions about the plants.
I bet you are already predicting what is coming around the corner next. You are correct. When I heard those words from Miss Jane my heart sank. I immediately fell to my knees sobbing and begging for mercy for Mr. Hibiscus. I promised to wash all the windows in the house inside and out and to scrub the kitchen floor every Saturday for two years. I wept with such intensity the salt in my tears burned my cheeks. Alright, so I am a bit overdramatic about this. I merely asked if I could bring Mr. Hibiscus to work with me before we did him in. I said I could place him in the window in my office next to the desk and see if he had any more life in him. Jane agreed and if Mr. H had no more life in him, I would keep him company during the final stages of life. Jane provided me with special plant food and water and wished us both well as we traveled the Seneca Turnpike journey to First Baptist.
Mr. Hibiscus now sits next to my desk in front of the open window. When he first arrived his leaves were turning a sickly yellow and falling to the floor in great numbers. It really looked like his days were numbered, but then something dramatic happened. A single bud emerged and blossomed. It was bright red and glorious, and it added a look of beauty to the office space. It blossomed one day. Completely opened the second day. Smiled at me the third day. Closed on the fourth day. And fell to the carpet on the fifth day. That was fun. And then I noticed something else. When I got close to Mr. H., I found there were several other tiny buds beginning to emerge. I was like a little boy in kindergarten. I began to count them. Fifteen in all!!!! Mr. H. has been offering a new blossom on average of twice a week now for many weeks. It is continuing to grow higher and higher, and the blossoms keep popping out.
I recently invited Jane to come and visit Mr. H. here in my office. She was so very pleased at how handsome he had become. Then Jane made an observation.
Mr. H’s growth certainly was yielding many blossoms but his growth was becoming very “leggy”. Jane suggested we might consider cutting the tall shoots back to the primary trunk. I am aghast! He is still producing blossom after blossom. And he is as green as ever. And then I recalled two scriptures that teach us about pruning. They read like this…
Isaiah 18:5 (NIV) John 15:1-2 (NIV) The process of pruning is about bearing more fruit, more fruit to please God, bring God glory and to bring joy to our lives. Some areas of my faith journey are blossoming nicely. Others are not. Pruning seems painful. Yet it is the only way to become fully productive as a child of God in this setting and in this hour. Do you need pruning? Notice I didn’t ask if you wanted to be pruned. I asked…are there areas of your life that need pruning, changing for the better? I look forward to this Sunday as we begin the journey of healing by admitting…I (me and you) need help in becoming a more healthy creation. See you Sunday and bring a friend because we are expecting a very special guest this week who you already love!!!! P Scott
5 For, before the harvest, when the blossom is gone and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he will cut off the shoots with pruning knives, and cut down and take away the spreading branches.
1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
