The Dandelion Parable
I have been weeding for two consecutive days now. I’m a little achy and tired. Weeding is not as easy on this body of mine as it used to be, but I’m making it. And did I mention my flower beds look great? Weeding always conjures up what I like to call “The Parable of the Dandelion”.
Firstborn child has always had a way with words and seeing things differently. Sometimes, it would make me laugh and sometimes, it would make me think outside of my narrow little box. At the corner near our house was this expansive field. As spring would have it, it became a sea of dandelions. From the back seat of the car on one of our many trips hither, thither and yon; he said, “Momma, isn’t that the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen?” In my mom head (my brain was battling said dandelion infestation at home) I said, “umm, no.” But my mom voice replied, “Yes, it is.”
For days, I couldn’t get that thought out of my head. He could see the beauty and all I could see was ugliness. He saw the pretty yellow and I saw the gnarly seed heads. The seed heads that get all twisted and ugly. The purpose of that ugly seed head is to spread and cause more dandelions. So, on and so forth.
God has a way of changing my heart and my head in the simplest of ways.
I thought about the dandelion. I thought about the many times I have seen children pick dandelions to give to their mothers, blow those wispy seeds everywhere, or smell them until yellow pollen covers their noses. I, too, did this very same thing as a child.
Dandelions bring joy when they are at their best and their worst.
After many days of wrestling with this, my heart swelled and tears flowed because I wanted to be like the dandelion. I wanted people to see God in me when I was bright and cheery. I wanted people to see God in me when I was ugly and twisted. Moreover, I wanted to spread God’s love.
He called a little child to him and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” ~Matthew 18:2-5
Needless to say, my view of the dandelion has changed immensely. It is my favorite flower. However, it is still not allowed in my flower beds, but I’m okay with them in the yard. It still causes me to tear up a little. God allowed me to have my own little parable. I’ve shared it a time or two. I would have missed it had it not been for a little boy that could see beauty I couldn’t and the simplicity of a child’s eyes.
Laura Rodgers
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I love this! Some of the nicest flowers are what we consider weeds!
‘He could see the beauty and all I could see was ugliness.’ All we need is a new perspective from someone whose eyes see different. Lovely parable!! Just lovely!
Sweet!
And don’t you just love when Dolly Pardon sings, “Wildflowers Don’t Care Where They Grow”?
Great post to ponder…
Ugh, I have *so* much weeding to do! It looks like no one lives here!! But I think the dandelions are redeeming. If times get tough, we can live for six months on the dandelions in the yard, haha. This was a beautiful parable, extra-special coming from the words of firstborn 🙂
When we first moved to western WA, after living in a very arid CO, we had no idea what was flower/bush and what was weed. So, the first year. We let them all grow. It was just nice to have so much greenery after so many years of brown.
I want to be a dandelion, too. May I have the eyes of a child and the arms of Jesus.
Thank you, Laura.
I love this “parable,” Laura. What a beautiful story.
As a gardener, I can see both sides of the debate. And I can add to it. Lately, I’ve been doing what Cole suggested above. I’ve been eating the dandelion greens in salads. You have to harvest them before they flower, though. I hear they’re good at cleaning out your liver. So there’s another plus for dandelions:)