Articles
Being Transplanted
I recently read a story of a man that visited a nursery in search of some flowers to plant
for spring. While walking though one of the greenhouses he came across a golden
chrysanthemum (commonly called a mum) that was bursting with blooms. Upon further
investigation, the guy was surprised to find it hidden in the corner and growing in an old, rusty
bucket. He thought to himself that if this flower were his, he would put it on display for all to see
and would have it planted in a beautiful pot instead of the beat up rusty pot it was currently in.
Still curious why the flower was hidden in the corner, he asked the owner. She answered
by saying, “Oh, I started the plant in that old bucket until it blossomed. But it’s just for a short
time. Soon I’ll transplant it to my gar- den”. Being a Christian, the man chuckled and imagined a
scene like this in heaven. “There’s a beautiful one, “God will say, “the product of My loving-
kindness and grace. Now it’s confined in a broken body and in obscurity, but soon, in My
garden, how tall and lovely this soul will stand!”
Imagine yourself like this flower. God being the gardener (Creator). He plants our souls
in bent and broken containers, but only for a short time while He beautifies our souls. But one
day, God will display His handiwork for all to see. “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a
spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body”. Just as we have borne
the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven” (1 Corinthians
15:44, 49).
You may be down, you may be beat up, you may be tired of the dirtiness in your life, but
be encouraged that God will one day transplant us into His garden (heaven), and our true beauty
will be displayed for all to see! Isn’t that uplifting to think about? ~Justin Barnes
Azalea City church of Christ, Semmes, AL
