Upon visiting a botanical garden, author Brian McLaren observed: "This isn't just about botany and ecology - this is also about theology. These trees are part of God's first language."
It takes a special sort of person to truthfully echo Paul's words when he admits he is "debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise." (Romans 1:14) But right alongside that jester muse comes the mime--the one who inspires us to again echo Paul as he observes "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse;"(Romans 1:20) a truth poetically restated by McLaren.
It takes a special sort of person to truthfully echo Paul's words when he admits he is "debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise." (Romans 1:14) But right alongside that jester muse comes the mime--the one who inspires us to again echo Paul as he observes "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse;"(Romans 1:20) a truth poetically restated by McLaren.
From such a world and its imagery, we learn things like this: that "bleeding hearts" can nonetheless be lovely--this flower and the tradition behind its naming serve to remind us of that deep truth. And this can be to us a point of hope and encouragement, both from the tender side of our Creator's heart and from the grace-filled wisdom gifts of our ancestors. (Someone in heaven surely has a crown jewel ever-sparkling for having named this sweet plant.) May we learn to still our tongues long enough to hear Him speak that first language...the language of His Creation.
Happy listening!
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