Bloom where you are planted

"Bloom where you are planted"

I thought about that quote the a couple of days ago when I was rooting around in the garden.  A while back I had posted about volunteers - plants that come up on their own from seed.  Who knows where the seeds come from, probably from the compost pile.  Anyway, I had been watching a sunflower plant and captured a little primitive time lapse photography to show you what I'm talking about.  This is a sunflower plant growing in the carrot row in late December:

Almost...

Almost...

Wow!  Look at that bright sunflower yellow contrasted against a brilliant blue late December sky!!



A sight to behold in December, of all times

I think it is interesting how God can just grab our attention some times.  When I saw this sight unfolding before my eyes I began to think of the parallels in our lives.  Sometimes in life, we may find ourselves out of place like the sunflower.  Here was the sunflower who found himself (or herself) in a place where he didn't belong.  Why, he was growing in a row of Atomic Red Carrots!  The sunflower was not planted there on purpose.  It was a mistake.  It was not supposed to be there.  Not only was the sunflower out of place and mistakenly there, it was there at the wrong time.  Sunflowers are summer plants.  Get your timing right, sunflower.  They aren't supposed to be brightening up the garden in the middle of winter!

But you know what?  No one told that to the sunflower.  The sunflower bloomed where it was planted - even though it was planted mistakenly, in the wrong place and the wrong time.  Despite everything against it, the sunflower grew, opened its glorious flower to the heavens and brightened up the entire area.

What a lesson we can learn from the sunflower blooming in my garden right now!  Who hasn't felt out of place?  Who hasn't felt like they weren't supposed to be where they are?  Who hasn't been discouraged because the timing seems all wrong?  It doesn't matter.  Go ahead and grow.  Open your blooms toward heaven and be a bright light to all those around you!

Matthew 5:16

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.