True Beauty

I find aging plants fascinating. As the tomato and cucumber plants yield their fruit, their once verdant leaves begin to brown. As the heavy fruit weighs down the branches, the leaves begin to wilt and sag. It seems as if the plant is putting all its energy into producing fruit, no longer as concerned about its appearance.

Of course, it is every bit as beautiful to me as it was as a young plant. As excited as I was to see its growing green leaves, I am more excited to see its ripening fruit.

Do not adorn yourselves outwardly…, rather let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is very precious in God’s sight. 1 Peter 3:3-4.

Perhaps this happens to us as we mature as Christians as well. As we focus more on deepening our relationship with God and encouraging the growth of his Spirit’s fruit in our lives, we have fewer resources to give to our outward appearance. Perhaps, at some point, being patient and kind becomes more important than looking younger than we are.

After all, I did not plant those tomato plants to be beautiful plants in my garden. I planted them to bear tomatoes.

I don’t believe God put us in this place and time just to have people admire us. He put us here for a reason: to bear His fruit, to love one another, to further His Kingdom.

For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared beforehand to be our way of life. Ephesians 2:10.

How beautiful we must be in God’s eyes when we bear His fruit, when we do His will! This is why He created us, planted us in this place, and provided His food and water for us. So what if our leaves brown and wilt? So what if spots appear and our branches droop? The beauty of young things may encourage us to care for them, but true lasting beauty comes in maturity.

And how convenient that this aging out of the garden comes right as everything else is gearing up. Although that is no coincidence. The school year was set when we were a largely agrarian society. Families needed the kids at home during the growing season; their livelihood depended on the summer crops.

Education, football, volunteer work – all that could wait until the crops were in. So, in the summer, I tend to my garden and swim in the lake. In the fall, I go to Bible studies and committee meetings and watch football. This rhythm is still very ingrained in us, even as we move to year-round school in our post-agrarian society.

When my kids were in school, Nick and I battled the push for year-round school. At some deep level, I appreciate that there are seasons for things. Not every day should look the same; not every month should mimic the month before. Maybe because I have a garden, I appreciate the cycle of growth, production, and rest. Non-stop sameness is a product of industrialization; out of sync with the natural flow created by God.

On a bigger scale, this rhythm and flow, this constant change, is part of our spiritual life as well. There are times of growth, times of production, and times of rest. Even as we honor God in everything we do (Col. 3:17), we have seasons of study, seasons of service, and seasons of quiet communion with God.

And there is beauty in all of it. God sees it, even if others may not.

For the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7

So, when I look at these plants, I do not see the browning leaves but the beautiful fruit. When I look at my older Christian friends, I do not see the lines on their faces but the love in their eyes and the smiles on their lips. I pray we can be beautiful in every season.

Betsy