Hand Picked

When I was a little girl, I used to love to pick flowers-- all kinds.  They were pretty and I wanted them-- to give to Mama, Granny, even my Daddy sometimes.  In fact, I still choose a few wildflowers once in awhile to add a little color to my space.  I pick them and have always picked them with pleasure and with purpose.
Fast forward to my daughter; she is not much different than her mama.  Since she was tiny, she has picked flowers for us and brings them, eyes twinkling, bestowing them hopefully upon a happy receiver.  But oh, how disappointed she is when they are haphazardly strewn aside in her notice! "Mama, you didn't even care about the flowers I brought," she'll say.  I cringe each time, thinking how I have not been an example of thankfulness to her, how I have made my little flower wilt without the water of my delight.  And now those blossoms, so purposely picked will be wasted.

I can't help but think how flowers are a picture of us, as Christians.  Each lovely bloom different in appearance and fragrance, planted in varying fields and gardens for different purposes and plans, then picked by God for specific needs, events, and blessings. 

A wedding is one of those events that is very specific to its key players.  Not one of the many weddings I've been blessed to attend has ever been the same-- no duplicate dresses, no copied playlist, no replicated menu, and the FLOWER arrangements are always different!
Now from what I know of wedding planning, I am quite sure that each bride very strategically picked these flowers.  Maybe by color, or season, or preference.  Maybe by price, or availability, or current trends.  I remember, for my own wedding, having very specific blossoms in mind and even NOT picking a certain type of flower after finding out that its strong fragrance might be offensive to my groom's very sensitive allergies.

Now, let's think of ourselves as God's flowers.  Though we did not choose the garden or field or forest where we were planted, the place we took root has a lot to do with how we've grown up.  We were planted with purpose. We may have had to fight against weeds, and creatures, and shadows to continue to grow, but that became part of our beauty.  Whether pruned and tenderly cared for or growing wild, we grew as the result of God's sunshine and rain in our lives.  
And now our  God hand-picks us for His specific purposes.  Each of us, by design, has a place where we belong, where we can give glory to the Great Gardener. We are all beautiful and serve a purpose, but we don't all fit every situation-- like those overly fragrant flowers I wanted for my wedding.  I had seen pictures.  They were gorgeous!  They would have been beautiful next to my red & yellow roses, but a miserable sneezing husband would not have made for a happy day; those flowers were simply not the right pick for us.  (Proverbs 19:21,Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28)

The same is probably true for that job you did not get, that house you thought you wanted, or the one who broke your heart.  But don't worry.  You won't wilt on the vine.  Your blooms will not be wasted on an unappreciative receiver.  Just wait for the Master Gardener.  He will pick you for the right occasion.  Meanwhile, grace to you as you soak up the sunshine of His love. (Psalm 4:6; Psalm 84:11)