Weeds or Roses?

I was sitting on my front porch talking to a friend on the phone. I described the beauty of what I could see: the roses and other flowers, the bushes, and even a beautiful old cedar tree. I told her what a treat it was to sit on our big porch, on a glorious summer day, with a blue sky above and a soft breeze blowing. 

However (I told my friend) I also can see the weeds that need ripping out, the plants that need watering and pruning, and the cobwebs and dust scattered all over the porch. 

The thought came to mind – how do I choose to view my world?

At my house, we seem to be perpetually in a planting and pruning mode. We continue to take back our land from blackberries and weeds, and the process can seem never-ending. 

Five years ago we created a parking area for guests, three years ago we laid out a labyrinth, and since that time we have added flowers, shrubs and pathways to an area set aside as a prayer garden. At the same time, we continue to attack encroaching weeds and overgrowth in that area and in other areas of our property. The labor can be intensive, requiring vigilance so the bad things are eliminated…and so the good things can grow and thrive. 

While we are planting and pruning, we also are building. My son’s family moved here a couple of years ago, and together we are upgrading and improving the buildings that sit on our one-acre parcel. The on-going building projects will provide space and additional beauty to our property. However, working on these projects takes time and effort on an on-going basis. The first year they were here we built a new shed, the second year we restored our 80 year-old carriage house, and this year we’re building a new barn. 

The planting, the pruning, and the building are valuable efforts toward worthwhile purposes. And yet…the labor and the on-going time commitment can stretch the limits of our energy and patience. Even more than that, it can cause me to see the weeds more than the roses; that is, to view this work with a sense of impatience and frustration. It’s easy to see the undone projects, the shrubs and flowers that need pruning, and complain that the building seems to go up more slowly than the spider’s webs that line my porch. 

God invites me to view my life from a different perspective. To trust that he is at work in the moment. He invites me to see the beauty of what surrounds me, and to proclaim thanks for all he’s doing in this moment as we use our own God-given creativity to be – in a very real sense – co-creators with God. 

When I think about this, I become aware of having a choice. Regardless of my circumstances, how I view them is up to me. The funny twist is that when you and I choose to see mostly weeds, our spirits droop. When we choose to see mostly roses, our spirits soar. 

This image came to mind a few days ago, after I’d drafted this blog, and was stewing over a problem I was facing. As I talked to God about it and tried to see good things in the midst of it, I found myself less anxious and more thankful. Maybe you also find yourself struggling to see the “roses” instead of the “weeds” in your present moment. If so, perhaps these thoughts, and these images, will help you remember to spend more time rejoicing at the beauty that God has placed around you.

Let me pray for you. Dear Jesus, I pray that those who read this blog could have their eyes enlightened by your Spirit. Help them to know that you are at work and invite them to view this moment – this very moment – as one filled with roses and beautiful, growing things. When they find themselves (like I did that day on the porch) complaining about spider webs, or thorns, or weeds (either real or metaphorical) help them to ask for a different perspective from you. A new perspective that will encourage a spirit of thankfulness and joy. As they rely on you, give them a fresh view of the world they experience. In your name, Amen.