Articles
Dead Roses
I was recently doing some yard work and there, in the woods beside the house, were the brittle, pale remains of Melanie’s Valentine roses. Lying among the dead leaves and broken branches, they were devoid of the color and vibrancy that graced a special day just weeks ago. Why had I paid good money for flowers that were already dying? Was it wasteful that, no longer in a vase and adorning a room, they now lay decomposing in the woods? Some lessons from dead roses:
It is common to express the importance of someone via fragile, perishable items. The specifics may change from culture to culture, but giving flowers to a loved one, decorating a wedding venue or draping the casket of the deceased are common expressions of celebration or accolade. The “perishable crown” (stephanos) that athletes strove for in the Isthmian Games was “woven as a garland of oak, ivy, parsley, myrtle, or olive, or in imitation of these in gold” (Vine; cf. 1 Cor 9:25). The Indy 500 winner pours milk all over himself, one of the less tasteful traditions in sports (IMHO, pardon the pun).
While the practical mind may say, “What a waste of money,” or “Why celebrate with perishable items?” the deeper principle is messaging. We are communicating something in the gifting or awarding of relatively inexpensive or temporary items to express deep love or high praise. Perhaps these simple symbols get lost in the modern world of multi-million dollar prizes, gaudy rings and glittering trophies for winning the PGA Tour Championship, Super Bowl or World Series.
The rate decomposition is relative. If we zoom out, we begin to realize that even more “permanent” expressions of love, celebration or victory are likewise transitory. The wedding dress yellows, its elastic sags, or bugs may gnaw on it. The prize winnings may be poorly invested, wasted on depreciating toys (cars, planes, yachts, etc.) or squandered on drugs, parties and human parasites. Jesus spoke to the folly of earthly, perishable treasures: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mt 6:19-21).
The takeaway here is that words and actions are more important than tangible things when it comes to expressing the value of our relationships. Gifts are nice, but they are not the most meaningful measures of someone’s value. Tell family and friends what they mean to you before the funeral eulogy. Verbalize your love for your spouse before they are sick and you face the possibility of losing them. Give them that feedback throughout their lives instead of in moments of crisis.
Everything in this world should be seen as a tool to accomplish heavenly objectives. The notion of ownership is overblown. We may have a “lien-burning party” when the loan is paid off and we “own” our house free and clear, but by the time that 30-year mortgage is satisfied we probably won’t have much time left to enjoy it: “Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity” (Ecc 2:19-20).
It is best to view our earthly possessions as gifts from God, tools to use in His service and unto His glory. It is not the décor that makes the home special; it is the people whom we share it with: children raised in it; travelers passing through; meals shared with loved ones; singings or other get togethers with brethren. It’s not the status of the car we drive that is important but the transportation to worship or a Bible study; taking a friend to a doctor’s appointment; giving a preacher a ride to the airport at 4:45 a.m. (as I did for our meeting preacher last fall!).
Generously invest in material things that foster a spiritual outcome. I have known of brethren to be downright stingy when it came to spending money on Bible class materials, upgrading the church building/property, paying the preacher according to principles of generosity and true worth, or supporting overseas evangelism. On a personal level, we may employ a double-standard when it comes to money spent on vacations, furniture, cars, homes, clothing, etc. versus expenditures on things that foster our spiritual growth and achievement.
To the Corinthians, who were flagging in their commitment to the Gentile collection, Paul noted: “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifullly will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having alls ufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work … Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness” (2 Cor 9:6-8, 10).
Takeaways:
* Nothing in this world will last; everything decomposes or will be destroyed sooner or later.
* We won’t own things for very long. We can’t take it with us, and there’s too many ways to lose what we possess. Therefore, do not place your hope or identity on worldly things, for when they are taken away we can lose our own selves in the process.
* It is folly to define our lives or relationships by things. We can use material things to communicate deeper thoughts and meanings, and this is valid. But let us never substitute the giving of a gift for verbally expressing or otherwise showing what someone truly means to us.
* Generosity doesn’t come naturally to everyone; sometimes it has to be learned. But we can learn it by considering God’s own generosity toward us, and by the example of those who have been generous to us.
