Considered a curse in the lawns, gardens, and flower beds of many people, the bright little Dandelion perseveres regardless of its circumstances. This hardy plant grows in the cracks of sidewalks, in cow pastures, and in places where it is not wanted. Its roots grow deep into the soil to give it a strong base, which shoots up new leaves and flowers every year. So, what good is this persistent little plant?
Research shows that the plant has many helpful and healthy attributes. As well as providing nutrition for early spring pollinators and other creatures, the plant can be used for human food and is good in salads, as greens, as dandelion flower fritters, coffee, and tea. It is known to promote digestion, aid in weight loss, help prevent cancer, help lower high blood pressure, and helps to cure acne. That’s a lot for such a little, annoying weed.
Actually, the dandelion is not a weed at all but a lovely, golden flower. Its bright, sunny blossoms peep out of the cold, soggy ground after winter to greet the world like a happy, smiling face. This common little plant, considered to be an intrusion, can teach us beneficial lessons if we utilize its qualities and learn from it.
For example, as the dandelion spreads its bright blossoms all over a lawn, we can spread joy to others with smiles and encouraging words, thus providing healthy positivity to hungry souls. Positive words can build a person’s self-esteem, thus providing one with the ability to
spread a sense of well-being to others. A positive person is likely to be healthier and will perform better on a job, as a parent, and as a spouse and friend.
Another lesson from the lowly dandelion is persistence. This bright little plant must be one of the most persistent in the world. To rid a lawn or flower bed of this nuisance, one must destroy the root. It sends its little seeds via the wind to reproduce itself over and over despite the hostility it faces. When we have a good cause, we should be persistent enough to stand strong in the face of opposition. We need to be persistent about self-improvement. About giving. About reaching our goals. About spreading joy. There are many ways life would be better if we were more persistent about good causes.
Like the dandelion. we should grow persistently and quietly, lending our gentleness and beauty to our environment and sending out seeds to reproduce the love of Christ everywhere. We should display joy and spread kindness and goodness to everyone we meet. Our lives should add brightness to the darkest places as we persevere to grow despite the hardness and conflict we face as followers of Christ. We must never grow only for those who recognize our goodness, but we must grow in places where our goodness is not yet recognized.
We should all be like a pretty, golden dandelion in the garden of life.
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