Let’s get something started!
These beautiful violets caught my eye today at Meijer. It’s easy to notice spring like things on cold snowy days. It seemed the whole shelf of violets were lifting their little purple heads and calling out “spring,” “spring”, beckoning me right into the fresh flower aisle. While there, I took a trip down memory lane as well; back to my childhood and visits to my great Aunt Vertie’s house.
Aunt Vertie was a very “proper” kind of gal. She had an immaculate house and was one of the best cooks around. Her husband was my grandmother’s brother, Felix. Okay, let’s just stop right there and take a moment. Can we all agree that my Aunt Vertie and Uncle Felix get the award for the coolest named couple in all the south? They were as cool as their names and always spoiled me when I went to visit.
My Aunt Vertie worked part time at a local dime store that had a small selection of house plants and violets. Occasionally, one of the violets would get bumped and a shoot would fall off. Vertie would pick it up and put it in her smock pocket. Once she got home she would carefully pot it in a baby food jar full of her special fertilized potting soil and baby it until it took root. Once it took root it would get repotted and join the African violet family that lined the window sills of her dining room. Oh, how I loved that room. It was forever spring in there, brimming with every color of purple and every variety of African violet imaginable. She had a green thumb for sure – or maybe it was a purple one!
She wasn’t stingy with her violet crop and shared them with many. She shared them with me along with her growing tips and tricks. Even as a kid in grade school I was proud to have several pots of the purple beauties at our home.
The memories of Vertie’s violets was special to me today. Not just because it prompted me to purchase the plant and give African violet windowsill farming another try. But it coincided nicely with my study of Roman’s 10 this week.
You see, Vertie could have easily swept the shoot away that was lying on the ground or thrown it in the trash. But she chose to help it become something better. Not only did she pluck it into the dirt, it was special dirt loaded with nutrients and fertilizer to help it grown. She didn’t put it in the dirt and leave it alone, she checked on it daily, gave it little drinks of water (or an ice cube to slowly melt onto the soil – one of her tricks). When it did finally take root, she continued to nurture it in bigger and better ways, gently taking it from it’s small confines and planting it into a bigger space where it could really grow and flourish and spread its root base. She sat it amongst other plants in the sunshine and they grew together.
Romans 10:13 says all that call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. But Paul poses several questions here as we read on? How will they call on someone they don’t have faith in? How can they have faith in someone they haven’t heard of? How can they hear without a preacher? How can they preach unless they are sent? Wow – Paul has as many questions as a 3-year-old who says…Why? Why? Why?
But then Paul explains how. He quotes the prophet Isaiah (52:7)…How beautiful are the feet of those that announce the good news.
In other words, (taking our clues from Violet Vertie)…
- How beautiful are the feet of those who care enough to pick someone up when their down and place them firmly in the rich life-giving soil of God’s word.
- How beautiful are the feet of those that take time to provide nurture
- How beautiful are the feet of those who check in and continue to offer frequent long cool drinks from the fountain of truth.
- How beautiful are the feet of the person who prunes, encourages and sets the example of how to spread their roots so that they reach wider areas promoting new growth.
- How beautiful are the feet of those that sit alongside them in the “SON” shine and place them in the company of other believers.
- How beautiful are the feet of those that serve others… in the name of Jesus.
Aunt Vertie not only knew how to get something started, she also remained committed to watching it grow. Folks, I’m sad to say that this is where my beautiful feet tend to falter. It’s typically easy to get something started – but it isn’t always easy, and sometimes not even possible, to keep the nurture going. Paul encourages us to get something started anyway. Why? Why should I bother sharing the good news with someone if I can’t follow through with them? It’s because of what Isaiah says the feet provide:
Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of a messenger
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings good news,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion, “Your God rules!”
Note the last three words…"Your God rules!” Where HE leads WE will follow…and where WE lead HE will follow. We work as partners with HIM. We can trust that He is in charge and will finish any good work. Philippians 1:6 says And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Don’t lose faith as a messenger but have faith in the message! God will honor the message your beautiful feet deliver to those that need to hear the good news!
Let’s get something started!
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