Beauty of Weeds

“…Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. Genesis 3:17b-18

It was a dark day in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve chose to disobey their Lord. The serpent planted seeds of confusion in the minds of God’s children, compelling them to doubt the goodness of God. (Genesis 3). The consequences were eternal; mankind would now experience death. But God in His providential grace and mercy made a way of salvation through His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Oftentimes I hear people say things like, “Life is just a bunch of weeds and tares; a constant struggle to survive.” Sounds pretty discouraging doesn’t it? While it’s true that God said we’d fight weeds and tares in this life, have you ever stopped to consider that His kindness which leads to repentance can be seen in the beauty of weeds? Even in the frustrations and struggles of life, our merciful God teaches grace through the presence of weeds. There are hundreds of weed varieties that flower brightly, have calming fragrances and even some with medicinal purposes. Take a Yarrow for example; a common weed with clusters of creamy white flowers that release an aroma when crushed. Did you know that the Purslane weed is actually a nutritional powerhouse said to contain more omega-3 fatty acids than any other leafy vegetable? Hate Dandelions? Did you know that not only are they edible but they also contain vitamins C and B6, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron (crucial for generating red blood cells), potassium (to help regulate heart rate and blood pressure), and manganese. Even though the ground was cursed because of sin, our gracious Lord gave us a use for weeds. His beauty can still be seen among the thorns and thistles. While life may be hard and we grow weary from its toil, the inexhaustible love and mercies of God are displayed all around us; even in weeds! Did you know that daisies are considered a weed? Remember as a child plucking daisy petals Russian roulette style in a game of “He loves me-He loves me not?” Next time you see a wild daisy let it remind you with absolute certainty that He loves you. The Son who shines on the daisies and weeds delights to shine His light of love on you.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, Your beauty is all around. Help me look past the weeds to see Your beauty and grace amid life’s toil, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.