WATERFALLS AND FLOWERS

I’ve always enjoyed the sensory appeal of waterfalls. There is something truly soothing about their sound and watching the crystal clear water as it cascades in such an alluring way from where it starts to the end, which is so often a pool. It just has that sense of being so refreshing and purging.

Flowers have their own appeal, they can be so brilliant in their colors and sometimes fill the air with a scent that can stimulate and affects one mood. The only problem is that for those of us who have the problems with hay fever, flowers can also mean pollens that diminish our capacity to enjoy their colors or scent.

Like so many times as I reflected on the contrasts between these two experiences my mind wandered to their relevance in the spiritual realm. It might be a stretch, but I saw how in some ways each is a symbol of a different type of spiritual life.

Both are of course fixed in a given location. But the waterfall is most appealing in part because it flows. Therefore the sense of rhythm and harmony comes through its motion for without the motion it would never be a waterfall.

Whereas a flower is in a given location too, but unless there is a wind, we might not be aware of how it moves. Still it does have the capacity to affect us by shear impact of color and scent.

And in a way I couldn’t help think how as believers there are often both waterfalls and flowers in the body of Christ. For me the waterfalls types of followers are the givers, the ones who exude a sense of freedom and are fluid in their thinking. From their essence the sense of the presence of God’s spirit seems to flow naturally. How simple they can easily express their spirituality without a need to force it through unnecessary or force words. They are not rooted in tradition, but the simple gush of the Holy Spirit and they refresh.

With the flower type of followers they are more inclined to have some outward image of being saintly in our minds. (Even if it is the result of a whole lot of manure in some cases!) But in reality they do serve a purpose of inspiring. They do by being a blossom of spirituality fill our soul’s nostrils with a scent of hope that perhaps one can be more than a weed.

My point is not to belittle the flowers of Christ verses the waterfalls. Merely I want to say that we need both. We need those who are free in Christ and challenge us to constantly listen to his spirit and not be only slaves to some tradition.

At the same time we also need the flowers. I am speaking of those who can inspire by their example of being loving or full of faith. They give us hope and encouragement that can help to enrich our lives. Providing they are like a flower pointing upwards and do guide us to our Lord.

And whether we are more like a waterfall or a flower in our spiritual life the great thing is when we can rejoice that both serve a purpose. Stop and smell the flowers while enjoying the waterfall for with God each will bring us hope if we let them.