Why Flowers Die

We all love flowers. Yes, even guys love flowers . . . or at least this guy does. They are beautiful, vibrant, and say so much about God’s creation. God could’ve made plants only green, but no, He threw beautiful flowers into the mix because He’s good. He breathes beauty into everything He does. But, if He breathes beauty everywhere, then why do flowers die? Believe it or not, there’s a beauty in this death too.

Why Flowers Die

Whenever God lets something fade away, it’s because he has something better to replace it. This is why the old covenant died with Jesus’ death so he could bring in the new covenant.

Romans 8:13 says, “In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”

The old covenant wasn’t bad. It was beautiful, but not as wonderous and glorious as the new covenant. In this metaphor, the old covenant is the flower, but what comes next is even better.

Flowers must die, not because they aren’t good but because they must fade away so the next thing can come. In fact, the whole point of flowers is that they must die so the next stage can take place.

What is this next stage?

Fruit

Flowers exist only to bring about fruit. If there were no fruit, the flower would serve no purpose other than just to be beautiful. But fruit is imperative. Many plants are willing to sacrifice their own health for the sake of producing fruit. They know the future depends on this fruit.

Sure we might look at fruit and think it’s nothing compared to the flowers. Many of us prefer flowers over fruit. On the outside, flowers are better. They are more flashy and exciting. All of their value is visible and upfront. You don’t have to do any searching or digging to discover the worth of the flower.

Fruit however is all about the potential. Most fruits aren’t beautiful like the flowers that create them. Their value is hidden and locked away in the future. Sure many can be eaten and enjoyed in the moment, but the true beauty of fruit takes time to expose.

In the end, fruits are simply vehicles for the seeds to go where they need to be. While flowers entice the insects to pollinate them, fruits entice the animals to pick them up, carry them off and consume them. All so the seeds can reach new areas.

The seeds hold no visible beauty, but their purpose is the reason both fruit and flowers exist. To reproduce. To start new plants and ensure the future of the species.

The Hidden Message

I believe God wired all of creation to expose his truths to us. We see it everywhere from the seasons, to trees, to the plant’s life cycle, to our solar system, and even in our own bodies. Just look at the Bible, it’s littered with metaphors exposing us to the truths God knitted into creation all around us.

Colossians 1:18 alone shows three of these metaphors: “He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” If you didn’t catch them, the metaphors are the human body, the start of time, and birth.

Jesus also describes himself as the vine and how we are the branches in John 15.

So, even in this whole flower and fruit situation, there’s a truth to grasp.

Now, I’m sure I’ve only recognized a fraction of what there is to be learned from this topic, but this is what I’ve gleaned.

Just as flowers die to produce fruit, so the flashy and vibrant die to give way for the practical and powerful.

The Power Of Fruit

Look at a new believer. They are excited and full of awe at all that Christ has done. Sure they make mistakes and blunder about in their walk, but their heart is genuine and they are full of growth. Their joy fills the room and it’s a constant reminder to all the believers around them of just how wonderful Christ is and all that he did for us.

But then what happens to that joy and exuberance? It starts to fade away. The flower is beginning to die. Some try to fake this excitement, and some may genuinely be more exuberant than others, but the intensity of it dies away as they settle into a new normal of growth and intimacy with Christ. And that’s okay . . . so long as there’s growth.

This is when the fruit starts to grow.

As a believer matures in their faith, they grow better at walking faithfully and avoiding sin. They learn how to more tactfully share the gospel. They are more able to take a stand against sinful societal norms. As they mature, they become a better example through their life and grow better at discipling and encouraging other believers.

While a new believer is living proof that new life has just sprung up in their souls, a mature believer fills the less flashy role of helping new people experience this new life.

Flowers Vs. Fruit

Though both are powerful, it’s pretty easy to see which is more important and causes a bigger impact. However, the impact of the fruit is far less flashy than that of a flower.

There’s one other important truth I must mention here. Flowers and Fruit can also be seasons.

You might walk through a beautiful season full of life and joy, then one day that season dies. We may get upset at that season dying because it was so fun, but we need to remember that God lets things die so something better can spring up.

My wife graduated from college last year. She loved that season. She met so many new friends and enjoyed lots of fun experiences. Now she’s in the workforce. It’s not as exciting, nor does she go on as many hikes. But, the amount of fruit I’ve seen in her in this last year far outweighs all that I saw in seasons before.

So don’t get upset when fun seasons end and God starts leading you through a difficult patch. There’s a reason, and God is still at work even if you don’t see or feel it. But one day in eternity we will all understand why God let the flower die and why exactly that fruit had to take place.

So embrace the hard seasons, bear good fruit, and live wilder.

 

Do you see any other lessons you can pull out of this analogy?

 

If you enjoyed this journey into God’s design to see his truths, I’d strongly recommend you check out my other “Gospel In Creation” themed blogs.

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