Much About the Christian Life I Learned From Plants

During my time in college, I studied biology, focusing in botany. Although I do not currently do anything in that field, I still love it. (My favorite class was taxonomy, so don't go hiking with me if you don't want to hear a bunch of Latin names roll out of my mouth that sound like spells from Harry Potter.)

Plants have a subtly beautiful way of revealing God's glory. Each little leaf goes through a complex process in order to grow. That whole process, every chloroplast, every strand of DNA that is duplicated is overseen and sustained by God. That in itself has blown my mind. Imagine also, that there are millions and millions of species of plants on the planet. Most of which are probably only known to the Lord, and exist only for the sole purpose of glorifying Him. In all my studies of botany, both technical and practical, there were some things that the Lord used to show me about what it means to be a Christian.

1. Pruning HURTS. Real bad.
Pruning is often a necessity for bigger shrubs and trees. They'll either have a blight; some sort of affliction that will end up killing it, or the alternative is that they've become too overgrown. In the same way, our loving Father "prunes" us. In His wisdom, He won't let you continue in sin or something that is going to harm you forever. Granted, people, who are made in God's image are quite different. There are instances where God gives people over to their sin (Psalm 81:11-12, Romans 1:24). Secondarily, we can have "overgrowth". We can get too comfortable in our own little bubble of a world, thinking nothing can touch us when life is easy and our needs easily provided. So we grow, but it starts to get scraggly. We get too lax and independent, and disregard our need for God, soaking in the temporary things of this world. So, being the perfect Father that He is, He gently shapes us and prunes away at the excess. That doesn't mean it will be a pleasant experience for us; it never is. Pruning ultimately allows for a healthier plant, just as God is chipping away at things in your life.

2. There are lots of seasons.
Sometimes there will be "summers" in your life; everything is happy, thriving, and vibrant. Sometimes there will be winters, when everything seems bleak and despair threatens to overwhelm you. Praise the Lord that His affection for us does not depend on our faithfulness to Him, or we would fail every day. Seasons are a natural part of a plants life (at least in areas where there are seasons). The process of it growing, blossoming, and then hibernating (sort of...) is to be expected. There's nothing that can stop it, and although it's not actively producing leaves in winter, that doesn't mean it's dead. We too, will have ups and downs, or whatever you want to call them. That doesn't mean you should live waiting for your "winter", but you should live knowing that God's grace is sufficient to sustain you through it.

3. Dying to self and producing fruit.
Christians often use the Great Commission just so we can, but I feel like this is an appropriate place to be reminded of what we are called to do. Matthew 28:18-20 "And Jesus spoke to them saying "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen". We talk about the symbolic "planting seeds". Sharing as much of the Gospel as we can. All of that is good and true! But it also needs to be intentional. When we share the Gospel, and really invest in someone, it will require commitment. It requires dying to yourself, so the cycle of discipleship goes on. While you are being sanctified in your daily life, producing a new disciple means time. It means looking over a little "seedling" and helping them grow up in the word. Not an easy task by any means, but one should be a joyful part of obedience to Christ.