FLOWER FROM FILTH

A little girl was enjoying the beauty of the garden in her home. Her father had a good collection of rare and exotic plants. He grew them with tender care. The girl was fascinated by a plant full of fine and fragrant flowers. She went near the plant and enjoyed its beauty and the fragrance of its fine flowers. Suddenly she noted that the plant was growing in a heap of filth. She could not tolerate the presence of dirt at the bottom of the plant with such fantastic flowers. She conceived a plan to clean the plant. She pulled the plant with all her might and uprooted it. She then carried it to the tap and washed the shoot and roots in running tap-water till all traces of dirt were washed away. She then placed the plant on a clean stone and went away, thinking that she had done a great deed indeed. Later her father came to the garden and saw the uprooted plant. Its flowers and leaves had wilted and the plant had almost died in the scorching sun. His little daughter ran to him to exhibit her achievement. “I have cleaned it, Daddy”, she reported innocently. “It was placed in dirty soil. Now it is clean.”

The father showed her how her treatment had almost killed the plant. He told her that he had collected the filthy soil and placed it to cover the plant’s roots as it was the best medium to grow that plant. It could grow up healthily and produce fine flowers only if grown in filthy soil. She was sad that the plant had suffered and withered by her cleaning.

Pain, poverty and illness may cause agony in our life. Sight of successful persons may make us depressed and envious. A great gardener mixes the right soil for each plant. In the same way God provides each of us with the best environment required for optimum spiritual growth. But it may appear to be unpleasant to us and we may even complain to God about our plight. The famous hymn of Sadhu Kochukunju Upadeshi (Evangelist M. I. Varghese) in Malayalam, “Dukhathinte paanapaathram- Karthavente kayyil thannaal…” in the Malayalam language may be translated thus and sung in the traditional tune:

“If my Lord offers a chalice

Full of worries into my hands,

I will accept it with pleasure

And sing ‘Hallelujah’ with thanks.

My father will never offer

Anything that is harmful I’m sure.

He may give me moments of pain

Still He loves me beyond measure!”

These spontaneous words of the great evangelist, when he witnessed the unexpected demise of his beloved son (Samuel kutty) continue to instil faith and consolation into millions of believers during moments of pain and grief.

St. Paul remarks, “I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all with the glory that is going to be revealed to us” {Romans 8: 18}.

The Lord says, “I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for” {Jeremiah 29: 11}.