SONflowers

My favorite flowers have always been lillies. It is one of the reasons I named my daughter what I did and why I had them tattooed around my ankle. I'm not sure why. They just always seemed wild and graceful and colorful. They came in many varieties and you could find simplistic elegance in a Calla Lily or a more 'country essence' in a Tiger Lily. They are at home in a ditch along a country road, in the water, or in the sheltered environment of a flower pot. They have amazing adaptability. They are abundant in a multitude of climates. I appreciate such qualities in people, so maybe that's why I've always liked them so much.

Even their first names are interesting and exciting and descriptive...DAYlily, TIGERlily, CALLAlily, WATERlily, CANNAlily, ASIATIClily, ORIENTALlily, TRUMPETlily......their names are indicative of who they are and where they come from or like to be. In contrast, I passed a sunflower field....

When I first reflected on the sunflowers, I thought...HMMM....all the same. I like variety. I can't think of anything they are called but...sunflowers. I really don't think they come in anything but varying shades of the same color. I was unimpressed. but as I rode past the tall stalks, I saw a variety...of birds! Sunflowers are a source of nutritious joy to cardinals, goldfinches, indigo buntings, doves and purple finches. As they flocked to the field and were frightened by my presence, they created dramatic splashes of color against the autumn sky. Bursts of blue and gold and gray and rosy red were expelled from between their large open faces. This thrilled me and opened my mind to the possibility of sunflowers.

As I read about them on the internet, it told of how they are named SUN flowers because during the course of the day- they continue to seek the sun. As the sun rises, the heads of the flowers face east and follow it almost perceptibly across the sky until it sets in the west. They are committed to the seeking of the source of life. They know what will help them grow and become strong, and they seek it with a single-minded purpose. If you want to know where the sun is, look at the direction the flower is facing.

In their similarity, we see that they all share a large, open, inviting face of seed and life, and it is haloed by a cheery spray of golden petals. It's stalks are strong and tall and reach high to proclaim it's place in the world. In full sun , you see the pride of it's purpose. Throughout the winter, after it's peak and growth are over, it continues to nourish life with it's abundant seed source. It provides hope to those birds who struggle through the cold, winter months.

The sunflower may not be the most beautiful, or the most delicate of all flowers, but it is a good example of how we should live our Christian lives...one heart, one mind, and with pride and purpose. We should follow the Son and be faithful to His presence. We should reach toward Him and shine in a reflection of the color of life that He has given us. When people are seeking the Son, they should need only to look at where we are facing and they will find Him. We should provide encouragement to those who need us in the coldest days of their lives. We should all become SONflowers.