One of my favorite flowers is the Lily of the Valley (also known as the lady's tears), so I decided to take a deeper look into the history of this flower. The lily of the valley is a beautiful solid white flower that blooms in the form of small bell-like flowers in the spring then late in the fall the flowers transform into reddish-orange berries. The lily of the valley is a beautiful flower that grows best in the shade and is often used for ground coverage as it will vigorously take over nearly any shaded area. Unlike, most flowers the lily of the valley thrives not in the sun, but in the relative darkness of a canopy of trees or the shaded side of a valley. However, this beautiful and fragrant flower is highly toxic to both people and animals. If a person was to consume/ingest even the smallest amount of the berries or the flower itself it would lead to serious illness and in some cases even death.
After learning more about this breathtaking flower it got me thinking about how we are often perceived by those around us. Much like how the lily of the valley is beautiful and breathtakingly fragrant on the outside, when you take a closer look at the inside you see a different story. Often, we show people what they want to see, we put on a show if you will and paint ourselves to be one way when in truth we are dealing with a toxic and sorrow filled heart on the inside. The lily of the valley is highly toxic if ingested, however, it was created not to be eaten, but to showcase the beauty of our creator. Though it can be dangerous it is also beautiful.
The Lily of the valley is often used as a symbol of humility due to its small stature and shade-loving nature it is small and often hidden in plain sight. Going back to the point mentioned above, often on the outside a person seems to have it all together and be living the perfect life, however, if we look deeper we see a broken and hurting individual in need of grace and mercy.
I love what Luke 12:27-28 says, "Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for the flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?"
What a wonderful thought! Knowing that God cares so much for the flowers that come and go as quickly as the breeze, it gives light to just how much He cares for all of us. If He cares for them don't you think He cares that much more for you! Let this be a lesson from the lilies, what often seems one way is often another way completely, but with God in the mix it will always turn into something breathtakingly beautiful!
As always remember you have a God-given uniqueness!
Shalom ~ Alianna