Consider How They Grow

The old nursery rhyme asks contrary Mary about her flower garden. How does your garden grow? Her response to the how question, produces one of naming, ordering and showing.

Naming: - She names the different kinds of flowers which she has planted in her garden. She proudly names these kinds of flowers, silver bells, then cockle shells, then pretty maids.

Ordering: - She orders the flowers in terms of how they grow. I’m reliably informed that silver bells are medium size trees, the tallest growing trees in Mary’s garden. Cockle shells are sort of lanky, but carry lots of blooms on them. Pretty maids are shrub-like and can be quite full though short. She proudly orders them in terms of height; tallest, taller, tall. 

Showing: - She has flowers that give a variety of hues from the white of the bell-shaped silver bell flowers, to the different purple colours of the cockle shell, which can also be a deep maroon colour, to the clumps of white bell-shaped pretty maid flowers, all clustered together on their stumpy mounds.  She is proud of her variety of vivid colours, all in a row.

Is all this information about naming, ordering and showing of Mary’s garden relevant to what Jesus is teaching us? How important is this? What’s the purpose of it all? We listen again to Jesus. Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. Let’s receive the same headings with different information.

Naming: - Lilies of the field are usually white, and have one naming in the field where they are planted. They are simply lilies – one name – one title. Is Jesus saying to His disciples that regardless of who he or she is, as long as that person is in His field, such a one is His lily, as He is their Lily? 

Ordering: - Jesus’ ordering is most contrary to say the least, for size, height, impressiveness and colour matter not to Him. He is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the Ending, and so it will be with all who are His. Is Jesus saying to His disciples, that they are all one in Him, and merit is in Him and Him alone?

Showing: - Jesus does not have lilies which give a variety of hues. He ensures that all His lilies are white, for with His precious Blood, He washed them whiter than snow. When Jesus shows off His lilies they will all be clothed in His righteous garment, not in any organized human rows, but as He deems fit.