Briers and Buttercups

Last spring, the buttercups in our backyard were unusually bright and beautiful due to the generous amount of spring rain God sent our way. I wanted to take some pictures of them before they faded, but I had trouble getting close enough because they were growing in a very soggy wetland. One sunny afternoon, I pulled on a pair of boots and trudged through briers and brambles toward buttercup bog. Before I got any pictures, I got muddy feet, multiple scratches, and numerous bug bites. But seeing the buttercups made my temporary discomfort worthwhile.

Much of life is about “getting through” the trials and troubles that are inevitable in our sinful world. One of these trials is persecution. The disciples certainly found this to be true. They knew the good things that Jesus has ready for those who follow Him, but they met harsh resistance when they tried to tell others (Acts 14:5).

Those of us who have chosen God’s way, and who know from experience that it’s “a more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31), will persevere even when we have to go through danger and difficulty. By doing so, we show others a beautiful picture of God’s peace, mercy, and forgiveness. The joy that awaits will make our temporary discomfort worthwhile.

(adapted from Briers and Buttercups)

NOTE: I got the idea for this ODB last year between sessions of the RBC/ODB readers’ event held at Sunshine Church here in Grand Rapids in early May. I was on a panel of ODB authors, and one of the questions was “Where do you get ideas for ODBs.” After the first session, I had a meeting at church with the head of women’s ministry. During our conversation, I used my woodland adventure as an example of having to go through adversity to get to beauty. As I was talking to Lorie, I was saying to myself, “Hmm, this would make a good ODB article.” I told the story at the evening session and asked people in the audience to suggest Scripture passages that illustrate the concept. It was a fun way to engage readers.