by Martha June

One of my earliest, faintest, memories is of my sister and I walking my Grandparent’s property line hand in hand with my Grandpa. We stopped by the tree line, he grabbed a flower, and showed me how to eat it. “This is honeysuckle” he said, and pointed out all the flowers growing on the vine. “It is sweet” and we proceeded to eat the nectar. I felt as if I had just received some top secret survival knowledge, and was a little awestruck. After all, he had just passed the knowledge onto my sister and I! I walked away feeling very special.

Since that day, I’ve always felt fondly of the flower. Every year I would watch the woods, waiting to see if I could recognize it and watch it bloom. I still feel that way.

A few years ago that same Grandpa took on the job of clearing out those woods we roamed. At first I was so sad, he was taking out the honeysuckle! “Why would he want to remove such a flower?” I learned that while the plant is pretty, most are invasive species in Missouri, easily overpowering native flora. It took a couple of years, but my Grandpa eventually finished his project, he cleared out their woods, ridding it of honeysuckle and the like. The result? We could see more of those woods than we had ever seen before. It was beautiful. And for the first time in my entire life, the light shown through.

This past spring, I found a lesson there – in the honeysuckle and in the clearing. A lesson I (of course) want to share with you.

As Americans, we live very full lives. I will go further and say that as American Christians we live very full lives. It is truly a gift to be able to fill our lives with careers, family, business opportunities, church activities, small group events, social outings, trips, sports, etc…, Truly the possibilities are endless, and edifying depending on what you choose. But this year, more than past years I wonder if our activities (my activities!) are just like honeysuckle.

The older I get, the more I realize how valuable time is. Once time is gone, you never get it back. I think that thought alone makes us (me!) realize we have to make the most of it – fill it with beautiful things! Never let a moment be wasted! Still yet, the older I get, the more I realize that as the activities I say yes to fill my schedule, the less time I truly have. I am always thinking about the next “sweet thing” the next “bush to flower” if you will. And time, like the old saying says, slips through my figures like sand.

Please don’t hear me say activities are bad, they are not! Or that church activities for the Christian are wrong to participate in, they are good! Here is what I am saying – maybe you, like me, have found yourself attached to sweet things, but finding yourself overwhelmed. Much like the woods on my Grandpa’s property.

I do not believe God calls us to live a life of overwhelm, even though I often find myself there. I believe that God calls each of us to first, a relationship with him, and second, a life lived with him for his glory. A life where he walks with us shouldering our burdens, and “clearing the woods” to allow good things to grow. To let his light in.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat – for he grants sleep to those he loves.” – Psalm 127:1-2

Maybe it is a stretch to connect honeysuckle with the business of life, but I have been challenged by the thought. Just this morning, I was reading about King David & his desire to build God a temple. (2 Chronicles 28) A lovely thought, a “sweet thing”, a desire rooted in good, and God told him no. That work was for his son Solomon, for reasons named in the chapter.

I don’t want to say yes to good things, if it is not the good God would have me do. And I do not want to say yes to so many good things, I cannot accomplish what the good is that the Lord has planned. Here is my prayer, may it be yours.

God grant me discernment for how to fill my life. With the good, with the hard, with the necessary, and Lord give me the strength to clear the woods of my own heart, to let you light shine more in my life.

May we be Christians with a discerning yes.

Sincerely,

Martha June