Dandelions

Psalms 46:5 God is within her; she will not fall.

I am the mother of 3 boys.  When they were little and all three would tackle me at the same time, I started telling them they needed to be careful with me because I was a delicate flower.  After a while, that became “my thing”.  I was known as the delicate flower.  Now, my boys always knew I was saying that kind of tongue-and-cheek.  Being a single mother, I could not afford to be delicate in any way.  In fact, I’m quite tough.  So today, whenever I say I’m a delicate flower, my middle son says, “No, you’re not.  You’re the Mominator.” 

Recently I read about a flower that reminded me of this contradiction . . . tough and delicate.  The flower is a dandelion.  Dandelions are resilient and can grow anywhere.  I read that they can even grow under a wall, but they will not grow straight under the weight of the wall.  Remove the wall and the dandelion will straighten up after a while.  Isn’t that the same with us?  The enemy will whisper lies to you about how you are alone and not loved.  He will tell you that you are not worthy of God’s love and forgiveness.  But we are like dandelions waiting to grow straight.  If you can identify the enemy and the wall he is trying to build in your life, you can tear it down and grow straight and tall towards salvation. 

Dandelions are also delicate and beautiful.  About a week after they bloom into a pretty yellow flower, the flower turns into a puff ball of seeds which are blown away by the wind.  People also love to pick dandelions, blow on them, and make a wish.  The seeds float through the air and land all over the world. That is what happens when you share God’s love.  You may never know exactly where the seeds will land or if they will take root and grow, but you should keep spreading them.

We should all have a little dandelion in us.  Tough as a weed against the enemy one moment and beautiful and delicate enough to spread God’s seeds of love across the earth the next.

Lord, thank you for creating the delicate but tough dandelion.  Help us to identify and remove the wall in our life so that we may grow straight and tall.  Encourage us to spread your love to all the earth. Amen