To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
1 Corinthians 12:7

Flowers for Church

The ten days from July 31^st to August 9^th are filled with cheerful family milestones, including birthdays and wedding anniversaries. Although most of the people associated with those dates are no longer with us, I rejoice in their contributions to our family and strive to carry on their legacy of love and faith. So, as in years past, I arranged a bouquet for our Sunday morning church service last week, in gratitude to God for the gifts of marriage and family.

I envisioned a classic arrangement of red roses and baby’s breath, but the store I frequent didn’t have any attractive roses. Several pre-made bouquets caught my eye, and soon I was collecting flowers in the same colors they featured – white, lavender, and pink.

After arranging the flowers the next day, I stepped back to admire one of the prettiest, most vibrant bouquets I’ve ever created for church.

Body Building

It would take last Sunday’s sermon to help me see an analogy that had never occurred to me before, which is surprising because I see so many parallels between Scriptural doctrines and gardening.

Our pastor preached from 1 Corinthians 12:1-15, a passage in which the Apostle Paul admonishes the Corinthian believers not to boast about their spiritual gifts. They have nothing to brag about because the gifts are from God, appointed to each as He saw fit, to be used for their mutual benefit and for the building up of the Church, for His glory, not theirs.

Furthermore, in Paul’s body analogy, it’s clear that every part is necessary, even those we might consider unimportant or less glamorous. As someone who’s broken their pinky toe, I can attest that even a digit that small makes itself known when it’s not functioning properly.

Which brings me back to my bouquet. It contained relatively inexpensive, and what some consider unexceptional, flowers, including carnations and mums. But when they came together, they were no longer ordinary. They created a beautiful whole.

Unpretentious

Once my thoughts headed down that path, they meandered into the garden, and I began to ponder how flowers glorify their Creator by being what He created them to be. Some are showy, immediately drawing our attention, while others are barely visible and require us to be intentional about taking time to notice them. Some are long-lasting, delightfully changing colors as they age, while others bloom for only a day before withering and making way for other buds to open. Some attract bees who industriously fill their pollen buckets, benefitting the flowers as well. Still others provide nectar for butterflies and serve as host plants for their caterpillars.

Thinking about it makes me happy! There’s no arguing over who’s prettier or clamoring to be something else, just flowers fulfilling their intended purpose, producing a beautiful garden.

Love

This morning’s sermon brought us to 1 Corinthians 13, often called the “love chapter” and frequently read at weddings. It’s actually a continuation of Paul’s admonishment of the Corinthians. Many of them were materially wealthy, and God had abundantly blessed them with spiritual gifts. However, they were misusing both in pursuit of status and recognition for themselves rather than serving one another and glorifying God.  

Love resulting from our union with Christ, characterized by the virtues outlined in verses 4 to 7, differs greatly from worldly notions of love. Likewise, our identity and value are determined by our relationship to our Savior, not on any scale the world uses to measure such things.

Thus secure in our position in Christ, may we embrace the gifts we’ve been given, using them to build up the church, benefit our brothers and sisters in the faith, and point others to the hope we have in Him.

Dear Lord, thinking about how happy it makes me to see the flowers, each contributing its unique beauty to my garden, helps me imagine the joy You must feel when each of Your children uses the gifts You’ve given us to glorify You by sharing Your love with those in our “gardens.” No boasting or striving, but gratefully serving out of who we are in Christ.