Jesus used metaphors drawn from nature and stories to teach people about who He was, who God was, and what the kingdom of God was about. His teaching style is fascinating to study. Jesus was very different from what his listeners conceptualized God to be. He did not use lofty language and grand proclamations in his preaching and teaching. He stayed away from intellectual arguments. His simple lessons were ones people could relate to, taught in stories all could understand, and most importantly, spoke to the conditions of their hearts.
In two of the gospels, writers Matthew and Luke narrate Jesus’ efforts to encourage his followers to think about lilies, how they grow. Without much effort on their part, lilies appear resplendent and beautiful in the world. To the Jewish people of the dusty province of Galilee, King Solomon was legendary. Stories of King Solomon’s fame, his achievements, his wealth and gold, his lavish lifestyle, his numerous wives and children, and his poetry and godly wisdom surely took root in their imaginations as they were passed down through the generations. King Solomon, larger than life, would have been culturally embedded in their minds and hearts as the epitome of human splendor and majestic glory. He was greater than all the kings in the earth in both possessions and wisdom.
Within this common understanding, Jesus says a startling thing. A simple, yet unique flower possesses a beauty that far surpasses the splendor and wisdom of Israel’s greatest king. Jesus tells the crowd that God dresses the lily with so much beauty it outshines the full array of Solomon’s glory.
Jesus’ message is timeless, speaking powerfully into lives over the centuries. These ancient words remind his followers today to consider the lilies. How they grow. And how they do not have to work to burst out in shimmering color. And the reason for that.
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The floods recede
Not even 30 days ago, a now-famous hurricane named Irene turned into a tropical storm and left behind a lot of water. So much water that little brooks turned into raging rivers, and rivers burst out of their normal boundaries. The water levels advanced, furiously, to the point of swallowing fields and farms, burying roads,
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Lost
I completely understand the motivation for that great invention, the GPS navigation system. When they first hit the market, I had no use for GPS systems. They were expensive and maybe some people needed them – those who couldn’t or wouldn’t read a map. But, recently, while I haven’t invested in a GPS yet, I
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Perception
Try some reminiscing with one of your siblings. Just pick out a story from your childhood years and throw it out for conversation. I am the oldest daughter in a family of four, and I have done this, talking about events of childhood with my sister, who is the youngest of the four. How my
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Better than
Before I start the real post, the orange asiatic lilies in my backyard are in full bloom, in their June radiance. This means that Consider the Lilies of the Field has been in existence for a full calendar year, through every season of the lilies. They made it to another sparkling bloom, and let’s hope
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Missing the Fish
Struck by the incongruity of a farm tractor leading the local Shad Derby parade, I framed my digital shot. The red tractor with its great wheels being the first vehicle in the parade would make Norman Rockwell – if he were alive – inspired. And, in a sense, the tractor at the head symbolized the essence
Consider the Lilies 
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