Garden Variety

Many times after I capture an image and work with it at home to bring it to a place where I feel that it is visually appealing and ready to be shown I end up spending days with it in my head to ponder what it may teach about life. The image above is no exception to this pattern of pondering.

I titled this post "Garden Variety" as a play on the fact that this phrase is often taken to mean common or unremarkable. This image with that phrase reminds me more of the great gift that God has given to give the garden we live in within our own communities of family and friends to have such amazing variety within the garden itself. Some of us are the more visible yellow and red trees while others prefer to blend in as various shades of green. A few are prickly and some are delicate. We have strong branches and weaker while some may simply be the lamp post - very different than the rest but the light shines brightly when the night falls and everyone around is very thankful they are there.

No matter what, we are all contributing in our own unique way to bring our colors, our shape, our strengths and weaknesses and our light to this garden of life. If everyone in this garden was exactly the same color it would be very boring. It is the blends and the contrasts that bring the image to life and make it interesting. If you are a lamp don't try to become a tree and if you are yellow then don't wish you were green. Contribute your own gifts rather than lamenting to be something different.

Paul in his letter to the Corinthians reminds us that "there are varieties of gifts, but the same spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons." (1 Cor. 12:4-6)

Next time you walk through a garden think about the amazing variety around you. Take a moment and be thankful for whatever gifts you have been given and let them shine. If you are the lamp don't lament that you are not the tree... you have something extra special and when it gets dark it's your time to shine.