"That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”  -Shakespeare.

But by any other name would it feel as soft?

As I was weeding Mr. Schenck’s flower bed a couple weels ago, and pricking my fingers on his roses. I thought, “Why do roses have thorns?”

Why does a beautiful flower have a painful and ugly thing on it?

Then I realized: A rose is like a Believer.

It is a beautiful thing to become a Believer of Christ. You have a hope in life, a goal, a chance to grow to be a better person. And then after awhile, just like a rose, you grow thorns. They aren’t there in the beginning. As you mature the thorns come.

Some of the thorns in a Believer’s life could be:

Forgetting to put God first.

Praying frequently.

Seeing and hearing unwholesome things.

Not using the resources God has privileged you with wisely.

Gossiping.

Not being the same person in front of people that you are in front of Him.

Doing things that put you in the spotlight and Him in the shadows.

Now these thorns are painful to you and Jesus. How can He tend to you and help you grow if He has to keep getting the thorns out of His fingers?

Now sometimes the thorns are used for a different reason.

They could be:

Putting God first.

Praying.

Keeping from seeing and hearing unwholesome things.

Being constructive with what resources God has given to you.

Praying for friends and their problems.

Encouraging friends and family.

Having the full armor on.

Putting Jesus in the spotlight of your life.

These thorns can be used to ward off the attacks of the enemy, just like the roses thorns ward of insects trying to attack its health.

Jesus is a gardener. He first tills up the hardness of our hearts, then very carefully He cultivates it so that seeds can be planted and sprout. Not all seeds that you plant are going to be fruitful, but some will. And the ones that do, He will water and tend til they become a flourishing plant. But gardens and rosebushes need tending to.

The weeds need to be pulled so that the roots can grow deep in the soil, just like us, we need to be deep in the Word of God. When He pulls the weeds some of the dirt that is protecting the roots will be uncovered. The roots will be revealed. It will show how much the plant is growing. Having the covering of you pulled off is very painful. It shows that you need work done.

And the pruning is painful too. He has to cut away everything that is dead or is making you die. The dead, decaying parts that you keeping you from growing to be a mature plant.

So to become the man or woman of God, you have to be tended by: Weeding and pruning.

These are painful procedures, but they have to be done.

The weeding reveals what needs to change and the pruning cuts it off to let you grow.

Jesus is more than willing to do these things, but you have to be able to give Him control. He will not take it away from you and tell you what He is doing.

I know personally I hate correction. You can ask my MOM   about that.

I hate being told what to do. When I do something that needs correction I get soo angry with the person who is giving the correction. I hate having to be told what I need to do to change it.

And when my MOM  is showing me what needs to be done in my life, I get soo mad at her for correcting me. But in hindsight I am thankful that she will take the time to correct a 16, almost 17 year old who should know what to do and not give her a sucky attitude about her correction, but does anyway.

She see past the attitude I have and sees what she knows I truly want to be or do in that situation.

Jesus wants to help you grow in Him. Let Him do what needs to be done in your life. It may be painful, but He did not promise us a life without pain when we became a Believer. Remember: He had a crown of thorns on His head to bear for your sins.

We are like roses. You have thorns. You can either have Jesus, your Savior, prick His fingers, or you can have the enemy prick his.

It’s your decision.

RememberJohn 13:15

“I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”