Invasive Species
How Wisteria is Like God
(this observational is from my book God is Like a Box of Crayons)
They named this beautiful purple after the vine and flower that belong to the legume family. Although beautiful, some gardeners hate the Chinese Wisteria plant.
People dislike the Chinese Wisteria because it is an invasive species. Originally introduced in 1816, this plant has spread across the United States and is in nineteen different states. This plant can quickly take over a yard. According to the University of Florida,
The problem with wisteria lies in its growth habit. Wisteria is a vine that will grow virtually up anything in its path.
By creating a dense canopy, it chokes out other plants. It even kills large trees.
Invasive species are harmful to our natural resources because they disrupt natural communities and ecological processes.
– U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
The disruption of what is already established is where the danger of invasive species comes in. It can take what is and flip it on its head. So what qualifies as an invasive species? According to NOAA,
An invasive species is an organism that causes ecological or economic harm in a new environment where it is not native.
By this definition, Jesus was an invasive species.
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
- John 17:16 (ESV)
Do you think I came to smooth things over and make everything nice? Not so. I’ve come to disrupt and confront!
- Luke 12:51 (Message)
Jesus came to shake up what was already established. We’d done a bang-up job causing the world to fall into sin. Repeatedly going the wrong way and ignoring His warnings and commandments.
Think about it in your own life. If Jesus hadn’t come and disrupted you and how you were living, where would you be? I shudder to think about my path I was walking to utter destruction. Thank God for sending Jesus to disrupt my little ecosystem of sin I had going. Jesus came and created a canopy to cover up my sins, and in its place put beautiful flowers of grace and mercy.
Just like the Chinese Wisteria is an invasive species that disrupts the established plants, so too did God send Jesus to disrupt the sin we had established in our lives.
This observational is from my book God is Like a Box of Crayons.
You can find it by clicking below or heading to Amazon.
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This was very intriguing. Thanks for sharing.