Purist? Look, See, Pray

What is a daffodil? Four simple words that can provoke a major argument amongst gardeners!

Is the true daffodil the Wordsworth “host” of wild (original) yellow daffs adorning the slopes of the Lake District?

Or the bold bellow of yellow that is “King Alfred”?

Dainty jonquils like “Tete-a-Tete” have many fans.

Some growers have produced doubles and ruffles, white ones, pink-ish ones, pheasant-eye daffs, “scrambled egg” style with mixed multiple petals and trumpet. Love them? Or loathe them?

How about the kind in the photo? Small orange/yellow trumpet with lemon & cream petals? Is this a great daff or an utter heresy that the R.H.S. should root out and burn?

Many (normal) people will by now assume I’ve gone “off” and are planning an intervention. It’s February, they’re yellow on a stick, they’re daffodils… What more does he want?

Confession time- I love them all. Big, little, bright, subtle, any shade I can get. I’m not a purist about daffs- I simply rejoice to see them nodding at me as I pass by.

Now then… if people can get so het up about daffodils, is it any surprise that discussions about the nature of God can become tetchy? The reason we have so many denominations is because groups emphasize particular aspects of revelation and theology (usually because another group has forgotten that aspect).

Despite our different opinions and convictions, Jesus expects us to be a loving community. That should make us stand out as boldly as daffodils on a grey day in February… people may not understand everything we hold precious in our little garden, but they can easily tell if we share love (or not!) In our efforts to be purists about our faith, we can slip into a bad place and lose sight of the importance of LOVE.