EMERGE: ‘Bloom Where You Are Planted’
A Season to Plant: Never Judge a Thorn by Its Rose
March 21st, 2022
Luke 8:15, ‘The seed that fell into good, fertile soil represents those lovers of truth who hear it deep within their hearts. They respond by clinging to the Word, keeping it clear as they endure all things in faith. This is the seed that will one day bear much fruit in their lives.’ (TPT)
Thorns are another misnomer. Any horticulturist will tell you to be cautious of the thorns found on certain plants and flowers. Cacti are sturdy and hearty and can bloom gorgeous, as can roses. Thistles have the tiniest of barely visible thorns, and like splinters, a thorn can pierce and bury itself and then fester until it drives a person mad trying to locate it and dig it out. A thorn can do damage and cause great discomfort, can prick and bleed and hide. It is hard to imagine something so tiny causing such annoyance and soreness and irritation.
A thorn, however, isn’t always a bad thing. A thorn protects. It also serves as a strong reminder. Remember Paul? In the NIV, Paul describes it as a ‘thorn in his flesh that he was given, a messenger of Satan sent to torment him’. In the Message, however, it is shared like this: ‘Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first, I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, “My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.” Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.’ (2 Corinthians 12:7-10, MSG)
So, while this thorn was an irritant and caused pain, brought displeasure and discomfort, it also wrought strength and awareness out of circumspection and weakness. In truth, it harvested growth from sowing hardship.
One of the greatest things you and I can ever do is BLOOM where we are PLANTED. Beautiful things grow from the fertile soil of a willing heart.
