Rose, A Good Teacher?

If you're reading this article with Valentine's Day mood, I'm so sorry to disappoint you guys. This is an all out Bible study pertaining Rose. I have always wondered why among all other flowers, Roses are hyped, even among Christians.

      Many of us use Roses for numerous reasons including Birthdays, Marriage Proposals, Sign of Love and so on. But in this article, we are going to see the Rose in whole different view. I myself love Roses but it has too many 'teacher' elements which highlighted to me many useful stuffs. I would like to share some of those.

      Let's say you get a whole Rose flower and lay it on your table. Now you see a Rose with its stem connecting to the Red beautiful petals. Why am I exaggerating this scenario? Roses are indeed one of the most famous and hyped flowers of all times. You are a non-practical person if you're to enter a Birthday house without a Rose.

      But do you know that it teaches us great stuff? God said, ' Go learn from the ants,...', similarly His creations are very much diligent to reveal to us something all the time. Let's say that the root is where you are now, 'the worldly'. And the stem is the path you take. Finally, the Red and Beautiful Petals are your dream and destination which you determine to satisfy the fleshly needs. Now, these are the metaphors or comparisons will be used throughout the article. 

      When we start our life, we start from the root and we keep moving up. Walking through the stem. No matter how many leaves diverge, we are always quite determined about our life's goals and dreams and personal needs. Despite all the advises and lectures, we keep walking. Despite all the moral teachings and religious teachings, we keep walking. Despite knowing that world today will keep changing, we keep walking. It's because all we want is our personal satisfaction. Let it be smoking, drugs, prostitution, cinema etc.

      As a result of walking diligently, we do get to our destination successfully. Those who steals cigarette sticks from their dad's box shall definitely place it on their lips and light it. Despite everything, somehow we make sure that what we wanted is achieved. But if you look at the Rose carefully, it's best when it's fresh but sadly it doesn't stay fresh all the time.

      Similarly, things that seem joyous and extremely cool begin to fade and we will start to look for another Rose. And another; so on. But we can never get satisfied with one thing for long. That's when we start looking to The Creator. Now, our repentance begins with great joy but wait. The journey we had traveled had not been reversed yet. We got saved but,...

      Have you ever placed your hands on the stem and glide it according to the directions of the thorns? Trust me, it doesn't hurt much. Try this, glide your hands in the opposite way. You would end up tearing and swearing. That's what life is. You might be saved but it doesn't mean that Jesus will walk you back the journey. You have to turn back and start walking to the root and then get onto a new life. But it will be extremely painful, hurting, deadly, dangerous and you would want to die. The thorns that did not show up when you walked along will stand up when you walk against it. But Jesus will hold you and pick you up every time you fall. He will suffer the thorns with you. He will cry and bleed with you just to get you back to the root. 

      Once you're at the root, you will see His marvelous power which will lift you up above all the adversaries you suffered! Jesus never promised a Bed of Roses, but He promised that He will be with you till THE END. So, why worry! 

Amen.