Seeds
Tossing the remains of the daisy seeds along the ditch was no big deal. They’d blossomed readily on the farm— spreading like wildfire across the garden, through the fence and up on into the grass. Midsummer was ripe for picking and into the metal pitcher they were plopped as they drooped over the edges in refreshing disarray.
Once the seeds were dried, collecting them was easy. They were pocketed and tossed on walks along the gravel road. Soon, where no daisy had gone before, they were now present ditch-side and it was nothing short of majestic.
As I drove to a retreat this past week, once again into the ditch I peered. The rain was falling as the wind chilled the early morn. To my left on the opposite side of the road, a lightly clad person made their way along the edge of the highway.
As they appeared to be heading in the same direction as I. Certainly, they were going to turn into the driveway nearby. After all, I had to be at the “Mercy and Compassion” retreat and had a good two hours to go. Glancing in the rear-view mirror, I knew the one making her way down the road was not going to enter into any driveway as the laden backpack upon her shoulders indicated she was a long-distance walker.
Making a U-turn, I traveled back from whence I’d come. Enter Daisy. My little flower from the ditch was thrilled to enter into the warmth of the vehicle that would take her who knows where. After settling in and pressing her cold hands into the warm air coming from the heater, she moved them quickly to her backpack and pulled out her newly acquired treasure.
With oomph in her voice she exclaimed, “You just never know what you are gonna to find! I’ve always wanted one of these!”
Hoisting up a solid piece of rusted metal, it looked to me like a wrench which yielded a good 18 inches in length. Great—I thought. I’ll just be bludgeoned to death right here! As I expressed my thrill over how cool it was, she seemed to relax and quickly returned it to her pack.
Light chit-chat on an otherwise gloomy day made way for delightful company. She gently spoke, our little sister from the ditch who knows of Him—but who is not yet sure she can trust anyone these days as she makes her way—her way.
We made an emergency stop here, and she drew out some paraphernalia there— and learning about life on the road close up could have easily been skipped as she shared tears. And when I dropped her off somewhere—she made her way—her way—on to wherever… As we spoke our good byes, she clung to the car door. She did not want to leave, this much I knew. I wanted to take her home and pocket her—and blanket her—and love her back to life. With encouragement to call home, she was reminded she had a choice. And I suppose it’s not much different than you nor I—we can either keep driving by the Daisy’s in the ditch or we can pick a few as He shows His mercy and compassion through little wild flowers.
I do not advocate picking up hitch-hikers. However, when nudged—one never knows what we need to learn from seeds they sow within us, or how His seeds might be sown within them.
“We need not fear the terrors of the night nor the arrows that fly by day. Say to the Lord my refuge, my rock in whom I trust.” Amen.
