See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or
spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like
one of these” (Matthew
My garden grows with anemones. Actually, if the full truth were disclosed, the garden grows with an anemone blossom. Several dozen were planted, but this early in the season only one has bloomed.
When you’re planting anemones, you can’t always tell which end is up or down. They look like a wad of dark, hardened chewing gum somebody has spit out. (Sorry, if this offends your sensibilities.) But the Lord has so designed them that even when they’re planted upside-down, the roots manage to go downward, and the stems upward. When they bloom they’re so beautiful you forget how ugly they were at planting time.
One of the interesting things about these little plants is that they may be the lilies of the field of which Jesus spoke. They’re certainly striking enough to fulfill any expectation you may have built up in your mind about flowers that find their place of honor in Jesus’ teaching. Recently I was looking out into the yard when I spied this rich red splotch peeking up through the lemon leaves that had fallen onto the flower bed. The first anemone blossom was rushing the season. Solomon was probably not fortunate enough to have access to dyes that could make such a vibrant shade of red as this blossom. Even this wealthy, self-indulgent king could not wear such a splendid color. He would have possibly driven his tailor mad trying to match the coloring and texture that will appear as the other anemones bloom within a few weeks.
The point of Jesus’ teaching is that if God can (and does) so clothe a flower, “will he not much more clothe you?” As for all our daily needs, “your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” So why all the anxiety? When we see what God does with flowers, it should encourage us as to what he will do with us. (Remember what the anemone looked like in the beginning.)
Jesus had an eye for the things of nature. He used flowers and fig trees, foxes and birds, fire and thorns, as visual teaching tools. We need to see things the way Jesus saw them. As the flowers bloom in spring, try to see them through the eyes of Jesus, remembering that God cares for you even more than he does for flowers.
How does my garden grow? With reminders of God’s goodness.