(x)wisdom

After being away from the office for two weeks I returned to find a thorny vine growing up in front of my window. I've noticed these vines growing in various areas around my house and they tend to grow as part of undergrowth, around trees and bushes that they can climb up and curl around. Sometimes they blend in so well that I only notice them once I'm being cut by the thorns. These thorny vines have a way of making beautiful things painful.

The passage in Genesis 3, in which the Lord pronounces judgment on mankind because of Adam's sin, references two specific types of plants as part of the curse, those with thorns and thistles. Because of what Adam did the land was made to produce thorns and thistles, making was was previously beautiful painful. The vines themselves are not ugly, in fact they can be pleasant to look at. It's the pain they bring and the memories of that pain that makes them an ugly reminder.

This morning as I walked into my office I noticed the vine had grown taller and the Lord used the sight of it to challenge me. As if to say, "If a man continues in unrepentant sin what is beautiful will be choked out and strangled with painful vines. And after the pain they will stand as a reminder of his sin and the pain it caused. But I will make all things new in due time for those who repent and seek forgiveness from me."

As I reflected on this the Lord brought to mind another passage that mentions thorns, "And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe." (John 19) He brought this to mind as if to say, "These thorns are also a reminder of what has been done for you. Yes, you sin. Yes, it's painful to you and hurtful to others. Yes, I hate your sin. But while you were sinning against me I died to pay the debt you incurred because of your sin. I walked the Earth. I was betrayed. I was beaten and bled. I was made the subject of jokes. I was killed by the very people I rescued out of Egypt. But I went through it willingly so I could buy you for myself and now you are mine. I conquered death and came back to life. What I did with so much pain I will not let you or anyone else undo. You are mine because I chose you, I died for you, I gave you eyes to see me, I plowed the dried up soil of your heart and made life grow. And when time ends for you I will bring you to be with me forever."

Then I remembered that the roots of this particular thorny vine growing outside my window are used to make sarsaparilla, one of my favorite soft drinks. Similarly the Jesus makes something sweet out of our painful and sorry state when we repent of our sin and come to him for forgiveness.