A self-seeded poppy- probably a gift from a passing bird- looking slightly shabby. Two days ago it was perfect, and I intended to photograph it. I forgot. Cue a strong wind and brief heavy rain!
My expectation level dropped like a stone. Yesterday I took a chance (still breezy but bright) and took a macro lens and found the poppy slightly battered, but still attractive in a “Weather, you won’t grind me down” sort of way. The shape and colours appealed, and here’s the end result.
Today all the petals have gone- but the seedhead has treasure locked safely inside. I may get extra poppies next year because it was resilient enough in the face of opposition. It kept growing.
Pollen is scattered round the petals, and it seems the bees had a good time. Life finds a way.
Resilience is an essential quality. Akin to patience, endurance, perseverance (and good old fashioned stubborn persistence) in the Bible, it is seen in the lives of the prophets, in the brave faithfulness of Job, and certainly in the experience of the Apostle Paul. The list of his sufferings is amazing- yet in the strong trust Paul demonstrated in the Good News of Jesus, he sets a high bar. Worse still, he seems to expect resilience to be a normal expression of Christian faith.
Remember those rather dodgy-yet-sincere Christians in Corinth? Paul had lengthy conversations with them to address theological and ethical issues… and I can only imagine their reaction when Paul said these challenging words: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9)
Wow, thanks, Paul… Can’t we be Christians who avoid all those nasty experiences? Please?
Real faith is tested and proved in the cauldron of real life. Others will hate and attack our faith and our character- and will certainly be quick to point out our failures and hypocrisy. Paul wasn’t good at selling a soft discipleship without any cost- because it was impossible in the Roman Empire at that time. Paul spoke clearly and without compromise: to follow Jesus bears the likelihood of a Cross to overshadow our journey. Trouble, yes- but not crushed, not in despair, never abandoned, and not destroyed. Truly resilient- and assured that Christ’s hands are strong enough to hold on to us.
The key to resiliency is faith in the Lord: Paul would have been brought up with these words from Psalm 37: “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand” (Psalm 37:23–24).
Both the Word AND the Spirit call us to be resilient- in the confidence given through being utterly loved. Jesus showed the Way- and IS the Way. Let us not give up!
The Reflectionary 