Don't forget Jesus' Legacy of love (Durant Daily Democrat 3/25/11)

Remember the Forsythia

Rev. J.C. Mitchell

First Christian Church of Durant

There are many things I love about Oklahoma, but the first that comes to mind is spring.  It comes earlier than where my wife and I grew up, especially my wife who grew up in Alaska.  As I go around town I notice all the blooming trees, shrubs, and flowers.  I especially notice the forsythia bushes as it reminds me of my childhood home.  We had a wonderfully large bush.  That blooming bush signaled spring.

I love the yellow and even enjoy saying the name “forsythia.”  Not being a master gardener I never knew much about this plant, but with access to the World Wide Web, I thought I would look up why this plant has such a pretty name as well as beautiful flowers.  I discovered that the name came for the royal British horticulturalist William Forsyth (1737-1804).  I am sure there are many of you who knew that, but if you were like me it would be new information.

I then got to wondering about William Forsyth.  Was he kind? Did he have a large family?  Was this bush actually his favorite?  Did he go by William, Will, Bill, or Billy?  My curiosity was not strong enough to keep on researching; however, I realized that not all of us will be honored by having a plant named after us.  I know it is natural to want to be remembered and for those of us not in heaven we do things to remember our beloveds.   And what is it we remember of those that go before us?

We remember their blooms, their flowers; how they demonstrated the beauty of life.  How they spread the love of God, not their inheritance.  We remember their love and hugs most of all, not their 401k.  For we know Jesus’ words from Matthew 5: 19-21 “‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’” The true legacy is the love of God in one’s heart.

We get caught up on physical things while we walk this earth, including our dress.  “And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.” (Matthew 6:28-29)  We are not to worry but depend on God and leave only the legacy of loving as Jesus loved.  When I consider the forsythia I am going to remember the beauty God provides.  Sorry, William Forsyth, I know that yellow flower is God’s creation, and I recall the love of my family and the love of my Creator.  I encourage everyone to take the time to remember Jesus’ legacy of love, by going out and consider all the flowers of God’s Garden.