“Here Mommy!” my son exclaimed as he handed me a beautiful bouquet of handpicked weeds. All smiles and delight on his face as he gave them to me. I know they are weeds but it takes nothing away from the joy I have in receiving them, because of the joy he had in giving them. My sweet 6 year old doesn’t know they are weeds. All he sees is the pretty colors and the unique blooms and his thoughts of how much I would love them. So I did what I always do and filled a jar with water to preserve and display this arrangement of weeds.
This scenario has had me thinking about the difference between weeds and flowers. There is a particular flower we have here in the states called lantanas. They are sold in stores, people buy it and take it home to plant, and enjoy the beauty that it brings. However, in Australia, this exact same flower is known as a weed, it grows wild and is such a nuisance to deal with. So what is the difference? To some an annoying weed and to others a flower of worth. Who determines the identity of these beautiful, bothersome plants?
The actual definition of a weed is, “a wild plant growing where it is not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants.” Basically, the one who tends the field can decide whether the plant is a weed or something worth keeping. I recently came across this quote from an unknown author, it said, “The difference between a flower and a weed is judgment.” As I’ve been cultivating my own heart with this thought, I’ve wondered…are there things in my life that I have judged as a weed that God intended to be a flower? Whether that be a circumstance, a season, a person or even my own weaknesses. May we be a people that see with kingdom eyes, that judge rightly and not miss the beautiful bouquets the Lord wants to give us.
