in the bud

​Every day a Seminary friend sends out to her facebook friends a beautiful picture, usually of flowers in full bloom, or rainbows, something beautiful in nature.  She calls it the "Moment of Beauty".  She has always taken the pictures herself, and she has a fine eye for photography.  A few days ago, instead of flowers in full bloom, she sent a picture of buds.  My first thought was that these were not beautiful, they were just green balls with a little pink showing through.  But then I thought some more, and realized that the beauty was right in front of me: the beauty of possibility, of potential, of what could be, of what will be.  It's the beauty of anticipation, of the unknown.  

I believe this is a part of what drew people to Jesus.  At first he wasn't much.  What drew the first disciples to him?  What caused the first women to gather around?  Why would the few widows with money use it to support his ministry?  Because, like my friend, they had an eye for what might be.  They could see the flower in the bud, the promise in a beginning.  May God open our eyes to see and appreciate the beauty all around us, even in the buds.


Loving God, our sister Natalie has reminded us that in the bud there is a flower, in the seed an apple tree, in cocoons a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free.  Grant us the grace to see the promise in the things around us which do not, on their surface, look like much.  Whether buds, seeds, people, or even churches, let us see the potential, and work together with you to bring it forth.....Amen.