The Poinsettia

     Every Christmas my mother gives all the kids a Poinsettia.  It’s not a big thing; just one of the many little things she does that fill our lives with joy. She makes sure that we gather as a family, celebrating birthdays and other happy milestones. An excellent cook, she regularly hosts large gatherings replete with heaping helpings of loving generosity. In many ways her love binds us together as a family. But I digress, this is about a Poinsettia.

     Each year we enjoy the bright red and green foliage. I place them on a stool in the bay-window of our dining area. There they add a more color to our holiday season, reminding us that we are loved and cherished. Dutifully I water them daily; but they never last. Sometime around January they start to fade, dropping their leaves in slow succession until I’m left with a wizened stick, which I throw away. But not this year.

     I’m pecking this out on the second day of July and my annual Poinsettia still sits in its’ place of honor on the stool in the bay window. Flourishing. It continues to add leaves and grow. But it looks very odd. Since I never expected it to last, I did not turn it slightly every day. When you have potted plants you need to turn them a little bit every day in order to keep them symmetrical. If you fail to turn them they grow much more on the side facing the sun. Now, my Poinsettia faces the front yard with very few leaves on the side of the plant that faces inward. I’m not certain what to do. Should I start turning it now in order to bring back some sort of evenness? I just don’t know. What I do know is that my plant loves the sun and puts almost all of its energy toward reaching the sun. In doing so it has changed, slowly over time.

     In a small way this plant speaks to me about my relationship with the Lord. This plant has one central focus…for a plant. It seeks the light. Over time it has expanded and grown a large stem to reach the light. Since I failed to turn it, there are very few leaves that face inside the house, but verdant growth facing the source of the light. This relentless drive has transformed this plant. Due to my ineptness as a plant manager it is an odd looking plant; but, I like it. It reminds me every day that as long as I look to Jesus I will thrive and be transformed.

     God calls me to make His son the central focus of my life. When I do so His light changes me, conforms me to his shape, remaking me in a new form. Many of those bad habits, darker impulses, and selfish motives wither and drop away. I find myself bent toward Him and away from lessor things. In the strong light of His love I flourish, expanding in new ways, finding new and verdant growth where none was expected. Sadly, I often reach for the dim light of this world and then wonder why my growth is anemic at best. Then I’m like the room side of my plant.

     The room side of my plant still has a few leaves. They are small, faded, and drooping. They will survive but all the growth and deep, rich color resides on the sun side. When we follow the world we will find all growth disappointing. We want the strong vibrant colors of a full life; but refuse to seek the son. Instead we settle for a counterfeit and wonder why we fail to thrive. If we would just face the Son and bask in the light of His presence we would find our world transformed. Paul speaks of this in II Corinthians 3:18 when he talks about us beholding the Lord and being transformed. He reminds me that this is not of my doing, but the Lord’s. He also reminds me that I do not generate this change; God’s Spirit does. My plant took on its current shape due to how I treated it. In a like manner, God changes us into His likeness according to His plan. We cannot be sure how it all turns out, other than we will be like Him.

     I don’t know how long my Poinsettia will last.  I’m in uncharted waters. But I do know two things. As long as it faces the sun, my Poinsettia will thrive in that direction. I also know that as long as I face the Son, I will thrive in the way that He desires. I will ultimately take on His shape and likeness, the shape and likeness I was born to.