Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Patterns

It is amazing to me how God works in our lives, there is a pattern to everything and when we recognize the patterns we can see just a bit more clearly what it is He is trying to teach us as we follow Him. I love those moments!

Below is a plant, it is called, remarkably, Solomon's Seal.  It does not grow 'naturally' in the state we live in...it has been removed and transplanted in a place far from home.  However, it is still a Solomon's Seal plant even though it is far from home.  It has beautiful flowers that grow along it's stem but hidden under the foliage out of the sight of onlookers...unless you purposely look for them, you might miss them, these turn into fruit.  The real Solomon's Seal  is growing here, even though it has been taken from it's ideal environment and it is keeping with  what it's true form is.  It is holding on to it's flowers in a very orderly and even way and will soon have fruit but not fruit that just anyone will see, besides the fruit the whole plant can be of use medicinally and for food.   This plant grows to be about 3 feet high.


Next on the list is a 'native' plant, it resembles the other plant called by the name of Solomon's Seal, but it is NOT!  It is an 'impostor', commonly called False Solomon's Seal and it mimics the real deal, except it's flowers grow right out in the open for everyone to see, but this plant is rather puny, only growing a fraction of the size of it's namesake.  The False Solomon's Seal is faking, it isn't real, it is showy out front, it's fruit is edible but bitter and of no use.


The last plant is called Clasping Leaved Twisted Stalk and it also grows here, it looks remarkably like the False Solomon's Seal, in it's size but the stem is not straight and it seems to grow through it's leaves rather than the leaves being attached to it.  The flowers are small and bell shaped and grow on the underside in a haphazard way along it's stem.The Clasping Leaved Twisted Stalk is of a different family altogether and even though it can be used it's main purpose is to purge.




As you can see, these plants look a lot alike, but are quite different if you look closely at them and pay attention to the 'signs' that they are actually quite different from one another inside and out.  There are patterns all around us some for good some for bad.  It is our responsibility to search out the matter in everything we think we believe, we propose to do or think, in all things asking God for His truth, eyes to see, ears to hear, hearts to obey and follow hard after Him.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a great illustration of the wheat and the tares--satan's counterfeits. The Lord has so much to show us through His creation, if only we would have eyes to see. Praise God for giving you these insights!

Romans 1:20 "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead"

KathyB. said...

Anita, this is so true, and what a wonderful analogy!

Like the plants, there are people who mimic Christians, but with just a little observation and discernment can be easily detected. Like the Solomon Seal mimics, the "false" Christians can be every bit as dangerous/ Great post!

Wild carrot also has a mimic, wild carrot is edible but hemlock looks very much like wild carrot thrives where wild carrot thrives, but should you partake of it will be downright deadly.

Anonymous said...

I just want to let you know that I finally added your blog to my sidebar. So sorry, I don't know what took me so long :-(

I can only hope that more people will stop by to visit you and be blessed like I am whenever I read your thoughtful posts ~smile~

Unknown said...

Thank you both for your responses, awesome! :o)

Yes, there are many plants that look like the edible ones but are pretenders and sometimes very deadly pretenders too!

Thanks to both of you for adding me on your pages too.

No worries Mrs. T, if people are suppose to find this blog they will. :o)