Rose Above the Roses

When admiring a patch of roses, we can always pick out one rose that outshines the others. One rose that bears the most lucious, radiant petals; one rose that secretes the most pleasing, exquisite aroma. Once it is discovered, it easily becomes the most beautiful rose we've ever seen. 

Jesus is that rose. 

In John 8:12, Jesus said, "“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."" 

Christ is the light, and He is that lucious, radiant, pleasing, exquisite rose. He is the "light of life." He is the meaning of life. His light is displayed for all the world to see, but not everyone accepts it, and not everyone walks in His light and glory. 

Many of us are too focused on our "thorns," to notice that glorious Light. We are focused on our trials and tribulations, our idols, our busyness, our relationships, our pleasures, our sins...you fill in the blank.     

"Thorns (in the literal sense) are small, but when they are the focal point of our perspective rather than Christ, they cast a big shadow" -Caitilin Williams

Rather than living our lives with the "thorns" at the center, make Christ your center, and He will give you a satisfaction like no other. Join Him in that rosepatch. Stand next to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

"For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps." 1 Peter 2:21

“And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” Hebrews 6:11-12 

“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” Hebrews 13:7 

We should imitate Christ in such a way that Jesus is the most lucious, radiant, pleasing, exquisite rose, and we are the roses in His rosepatch, pointing to that Light.    

Vineyard of Thorns

The one downfall to roses are their thorns. Roses are beautiful, but if not careful, you can prick yourself with a nasty thorn while admiring their beauty. If you have ever been pricked by a thorn, you know that the pain lasts the whole day, and sometimes even a couple of days thereafter. Roses are beautiful, but the thorns they carry distract from their beauty. 

Just like thorns poke and prod, we can poke and prod upon other people. If we aren't careful, the thorns spoken of here can be compared to our misspoken, angry, and hurtful words that we most often prick our closest family and friends with. Although they know our real beauty so to speak, the hurtful things we do or say distract from those qualities and can create a semi-lasting, negative impact throughout the day or week or month. 

How do we combat the thorns of our roses? 

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." (Psalm 19:14 ESV)

When you are feeling the pressure on your shoulders, when people seem to be getting on your last nerves, when you're overtired and just want to lash out at the first person you see, pray that prayer. Think about what God would want you to do. If you're not careful, the words of your mouth can stab someone straight in the heart, whether you meant what you said or not. Are the words you utter so important that they cost you a relationship? Before you say something you shouldn't, think of your words as thorns. By themselves they don't harm anyone, but as soon as they touch others they have the potential to cause some damage. 

Sometimes we are just a little too late. We might slip something out of our mouths and regret it as soon as it leaves our lips. If this is the case, which most often it is for everyone including myself, confront it as soon as you label it as sin. First, confess it to God. 

1John 1:9 " If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness"

But it doesn't stop there. Confront the person you did wrong to. It takes a lot of humbling, and it is definitely one of, if not the hardest things we could ever do. But it can sometimes be the difference between saving a relationship or letting it gradually be destroyed. After you ask for forgiveness, a weight will be lifted off your shoulders. If it's hard to come straight out and ask for forgiveness, maybe start off by being honest and letting them know you've had a rough day and that you are sorry for your words. Make sure, however, that you are careful not to use your troubles as an excuse for your actions. Although you have had a bad day, others have as well, and therefore a bad day doesn't equal an excuse to lash out in anger at others. However, confessing your problems along with asking for forgiveness is a good start at getting used to confessing your sins to the people you've sinned against. Eventually, asking for forgiveness will come naturally and will bring you closer go God then ever before, and closer to others. 

"Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body" Proverbs 16:24

The Silent Rose

Imagine soft music playing in the background while you relax and bask in the sweet aroma of your favorite scented candles, with only a bouquet of fresh roses and your feet arched up on soft pillows in sight. Sounds like something many of us wish we could do right now instead of carrying on with our busy schedules; going from here to there with no end in sight. For many of us, this scene (or another like it) is something of a fantasy. So how do we create that feeling we feel in our most relaxed setting while we are out and about keeping up with our daily lives? How do we keep ourselves calm and collected whenever nothing seems to go our way? How do we fight every urge in our body to scream at whatever or whoever gets in the way of the task at hand?

Well let's look at the obstacle in our way: the mind. Our minds create a sense of anxiety due to doing one task after the other after the other. The list of things to do go on and on...OR...you simply have gotten so used to staying busy that you wouldn't know what to do even if you did have free time. Either way these both could be labeled as one thing...sin. "How could staying busy be a sin?" you might ask. Well staying busy isn't a sin...but forgetting Jesus in the midst of your busyness is. Neglecting acknowledgement of the Savior who gives you the ability to carry out each task before you is the root of your stress. 

In Luke 10, Jesus and his disciples went to a woman named Martha's house, and Jesus was teaching the people there. Martha was busying herself serving everyone, stressing about each and every thing she had to do, while her sister Mary was sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus, receiving his words with joy and peace and a renewing of mind. Jesus said to Martha in verses 41 and 42 

Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her

Jesus didn't tell her that what she was doing was wrong, but that her anxiety and neglect of the most important, everlasting part of our lives was. Mary realized that Jesus was more important than the task at hand. That spending time listening and learning from Him was needed in that moment. That the tasks could wait, even for just ten minutes, so that she could get refreshed and receive a peace like no other to carry her throughout the day. That Jesus needed her to spend time with Him, and he would give her the strength she needed to carry on. Martha, of course, didn't purposefully neglect Jesus. She simply allowed other things to take the priority and push him out. 

But there is hope. Jesus will take us, just like he did Martha, and show us that we need him. That we need to take a break and bask in HIS presence. We need to get spiritually refreshed so that we can be  physically ready to face the world with Him by our side. So put the music on, put your feet up, light those candles, grab your Bible and silence that rose of yours so that you can realign yourself with our Creator who is always there to give us peace and strength to make it; not week to week or month to month, but day to day, minute to minute, and second to second.