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natural weed

The Beauty of Weeds

Jul 3, 2018

This spring, I’ve spent much of my weekends at home, weeding. The weeds this year have been so out of control that it seems like I live in a jungle. With all the rain we’ve been receiving, I just can’t seem to keep up. I’m ready to put away the Yard Butler Rocket Weeder for good and let the weeds take over. After all, if it wasn’t for the Creeping Charlie, Clover, and Crab Grass, I wouldn’t have much of a green yard. 

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about weeds. After all, they’re just trying to survive in this world and be a part of life. So, I’ve come to the conclusion that we are all like weeds. Like the weeds, we’re all just trying to survive and establish our roots. And like the weeds, we are strong and can weather the droughts and floods, only to return stronger year after year.

If you take a close look at each weed, you’ll actually find much beauty and purpose. The infamous dandelion is a favorite flower for young children to play with. The milkweed is a home for the beautiful Monarch butterfly. The thistle is Scotland’s national flower. Legend has it that the thorns of the thistle detoured Norse invaders. And in Hawaii, the orchids that adorn our floral arrangements grow like weeds.

Few of us are like a hybrid rose developed in protected conservatories, away from the harsh elements that can damage the stems and flowers. We’ve had to endure life and find a way to thrive. We are more like the humble weed; strong and beautiful, with purpose. 

This is grace. God knows how we’ve been planted in this life and His garden is full of weeds of every kind. Weeds are never discarded away. You, in fact, are more valued than any hybrid prized flower because God sees beauty, meaning and purpose in each of us. So, the next time you see a weed, look for its beauty and give thanks to God that He sees the wondrous good inside of you.

Written by Chaplain Lane Skoglund-Anderson