A Row of Begonias
We planted a row of begonias in a flower box on our front porch. We had enough room for eight plants if we spaced them properly. A few weeks later I was looking at the flower box and it seemed that we did not do a very good job of spacing the flowers. Some seemed to be bunched together while others were far apart and isolated.
Upon closer inspection, it was not that the plants were placed incorrectly, but that some of the plants had begun to grow, while others had not. They were still as far apart as we had planted them and yet some had overcome this distance and were now touching the plants next to them. In comparison to these plants, the plants which had not yet begun to grow seemed to have become more isolated and farther apart.
When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, he encouraged them to mature into the “fullness of Christ.” He wrote to them about growing up in the Lord. When we CONSIDER these begonia plants we see that growing up in the Lord means coming together as one and reaching out to others. Growing up in the Lord is when we have a longing deep within us that makes us want to reach out, no matter where or how far apart we have been planted, and touch another human being.
“Love each other with genuine affection,
and take delight in honoring each other.” (Romans 12:10)
Rev. Wendell Mettey
Revised 9/3/2013
