Lent: Day Four

“I want to be a dandelion.”  I’ll admit it’s a strange thing to say, but I do.
 
Sure this is not first thing that comes to mind for most kids when they’re asked what they want be when they grow up. Nor is it something one aspires to or puts on a resume. Kids want to be rugged cowboys and brave princesses. And grown ups – powerful CEO’s and technology gurus.  I want to be a dandelion, not a robotics scientist ninja.
 
Which is why it hurts me when people call others “dandelions” as a means to insult them. It is often used as a derogatory word to describe those who seem weak, or who fall apart too easily with the littlest and lightest of effort.  I wouldn’t say that about myself, nor would others who know me.
 
This is not to say a dandelion doesn’t possess those qualities. It doesn’t take much more than exhaling to make a single living object fall apart. And as any kid knows, that’s the beauty of them, right? Just yank them out of the ground and blow as hard as you can. Don’t’ forget to make a wish!
 
But if you really think about it, this is more of a defense mechanism than a sign of weakness. Instead of destroying the flower, you actually create more. One single breath brings life to millions of generations of dandelions. It’s not a design flaw; it’s a creative stroke of Divine genius.
 
The more they beat you down, the greater you become.
 
Think about it, it’s true strength in its weakness. Tough and resilient, it is able to adapt to any situation or environment, and thrive! Not even death can stop it from coming back again. It really is the best example of who Jesus is, and the assurance we are given about our own life when we chose to follow him.
 
Lent is a time we challenge ourselves – our strength, endurance and faith. Even the most pious and religious practitioners often have trouble staying on focus with their fast. As you  step one day further in your journey, and you begin to see the signs that your fasting is about to ready to fall apart, don’t give up. Instead, be the dandelion. Let those broken pieces float with the Holy Spirit and drop into the heart of God where you can bloom and multiply a hundred times over.  
 
Jesus once said, “Truly, Truly I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who has sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (John 5:24). It’s a little known fact, that after Jesus said these words he blew a dandelion in the evening sky. And the people were amazed by what they heard and saw.
 
Prayer:  Lord God, make me strong in my time of weakness. And use my brokenness for your delight, so that my faith may multiply within me, and throughout your creation.

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