If you know anything about flowers, it takes an equal amount of rain and sunshine to make them grow. One without the other can be detrimental to the life span of any flower. For example, too much water will suffocate a plant; and, not enough water means the plant is malnourished. On the other hand, a flower that receives too much sunshine will begin to turn colors and wilt; while a flower that does not receive enough sunlight may not produce the beautiful blooms as intended.
For today's topic, consider yourself the flower. You are the finest individual out of a specific group of people or things. We will consider the friend as the ideal amount of sunlight and water that supports or causes the flower to mature. And finally, the frenemy will be identified as the unevenly distributed, whether too much or too little, amount of sun and/or water that stifles or hinders the growth of the flower.
Think about your life as a flower. You were created to produce beautiful blooms. Those blooms may be any of the following: children, books, ministries, households, or businesses, to name a few. Either way, we tend to find ourselves planted in a garden where the challenges of growth are many. In other words, as a flower, we find those people who attach themselves to us and either give too much or too little rain and/or sunshine in our lives.
Generally, we don't compare ourselves to flowers. However, when we compare our lives to the life of Christ, we can see there are very similar instances. For example, you (Christ) are the flower, planted in a garden with other flowers (the disciples). Matthew 26:16 says, "And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him." In this particular text, think of betrayal as too much or too little sunshine or water. Either way, one is your friend and the other is your frenemy.
A frenemy is that person who claims to be your friend but will deny you just to fit in. Frenemies smile in your face, then through you under the bus. You can be totally innocent, but, if he or she thinks it is going to make them look good then they no longer are your friend. A frenemy keeps up with you and everything that's going on in your life; and, when the time is right he or she will give the sign to the one who is coming in for you. This is evident in the life of Jesus as noted in Mark 14:44, "Now his betrayer had given them an agreed sign, saying: “Whoever it is I kiss, he is the one; take him into custody, and lead him away under guard.”
Be encouraged, there is a bright side. God will always let you know who to be mindful of, if you will listen. Remember in Matthew 26:34, when God warned His friends that He knew there was one that was hanging out with Him who would deny they knew Him? "Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice." He knew who and He knew when.
This is the beauty of having a relationship with God. He knows exactly how much of anything we need to get to that place in Him He is calling us to. Whether friend or frenemy, it is all necessary to make the beautiful flowers grow. I can imagine after all of the betrayal Jesus experienced, He wanted to stick His chest out and parade around those who thought they had taken Him out. Fortunately, that is not necessary. With an equal amount of sunshine and water, the flower will stand out on its own. It will become the one that everyone sees in the field of all of the others who have wilted away.
Today I want to encourage you, no matter how bad it feels or how hard it may be to understand, just know when it's all over, you will be the prettiest flower in the bunch.
For today's topic, consider yourself the flower. You are the finest individual out of a specific group of people or things. We will consider the friend as the ideal amount of sunlight and water that supports or causes the flower to mature. And finally, the frenemy will be identified as the unevenly distributed, whether too much or too little, amount of sun and/or water that stifles or hinders the growth of the flower.
Think about your life as a flower. You were created to produce beautiful blooms. Those blooms may be any of the following: children, books, ministries, households, or businesses, to name a few. Either way, we tend to find ourselves planted in a garden where the challenges of growth are many. In other words, as a flower, we find those people who attach themselves to us and either give too much or too little rain and/or sunshine in our lives.
Generally, we don't compare ourselves to flowers. However, when we compare our lives to the life of Christ, we can see there are very similar instances. For example, you (Christ) are the flower, planted in a garden with other flowers (the disciples). Matthew 26:16 says, "And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him." In this particular text, think of betrayal as too much or too little sunshine or water. Either way, one is your friend and the other is your frenemy.
A frenemy is that person who claims to be your friend but will deny you just to fit in. Frenemies smile in your face, then through you under the bus. You can be totally innocent, but, if he or she thinks it is going to make them look good then they no longer are your friend. A frenemy keeps up with you and everything that's going on in your life; and, when the time is right he or she will give the sign to the one who is coming in for you. This is evident in the life of Jesus as noted in Mark 14:44, "Now his betrayer had given them an agreed sign, saying: “Whoever it is I kiss, he is the one; take him into custody, and lead him away under guard.”
Be encouraged, there is a bright side. God will always let you know who to be mindful of, if you will listen. Remember in Matthew 26:34, when God warned His friends that He knew there was one that was hanging out with Him who would deny they knew Him? "Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice." He knew who and He knew when.
This is the beauty of having a relationship with God. He knows exactly how much of anything we need to get to that place in Him He is calling us to. Whether friend or frenemy, it is all necessary to make the beautiful flowers grow. I can imagine after all of the betrayal Jesus experienced, He wanted to stick His chest out and parade around those who thought they had taken Him out. Fortunately, that is not necessary. With an equal amount of sunshine and water, the flower will stand out on its own. It will become the one that everyone sees in the field of all of the others who have wilted away.
Today I want to encourage you, no matter how bad it feels or how hard it may be to understand, just know when it's all over, you will be the prettiest flower in the bunch.