Potted or Cut Flowers

I am so impressed by the people I go to church with every week! The man who delivered the children's message made this illustration that really spoke to me. He had two arrangements of flowers. One was a beautiful vase of roses. He said many churches are like that arrangement. They are beautiful and flashy and colorful. They catch your eye and make you want to be a part of it. Upon closer examination though, you realize that all the flowers are cut. They have no ability to grow. In order to get into this arrangement, you must be a rose, but only the flower. No matter how much care that was given to this arrangement, eventually it would die.

The other arrangement was a potted assortment. There were many different types of plants in it. It was green and had some varigated foliage. Some of the plants flowered with love and care. The difference with this arrangement was that it had the ability to grow. It's occupants had roots. Some of the plants had seeds that could be planted other places, thus sharing it's beauty. Some of the plants shot off runners that encouraged new growth in different pots. Some of the plants needed to be cut from its original and rooted somewhere else. This arrangement had the ability to expand beyond its original boundaries and spread itself in different ways to bring its gifts to other venues. It wasn't as flashy of an arrangement. It didn't catch your eye like the roses, but the joy comes from the giving. The gift was in the sharing. I assure you, hand either of these to someone in the hospital, and you would evoke the same twinkle of an eye.

Look beyond the original joy to the joy that the potted plant will continue to give for years to come with love and nurturing. Given to the right receiver, the ripple effect would be exponential as seeds are planted, leaves cut and runners encouraged.

So it is with our churches. Does your church have roots? Do its members seed, send runners or leave the pot completely to spread the love of Jesus? Does the church nurture the soil and encourage this growth? Only in sharing will the message of God endure.