Lessons from an air plant

Psalm 40:6-8  (ESV)

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,

    but you have given me an open ear.

Burnt offering and sin offering

    you have not required.

7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;

    in the scroll of the book it is written of me:

8 I delight to do your will, O my God;

    your law is within my heart.”

How many of you have seen an air plant? I find myself  fascinated with a special kind of tropical plant called the air plant. The most renowned plant in this category is the pineapple, in the bromeliad family (Not surprising, because most bromeliads look like pineapple tops!) Other well-known types of air plants include the orchid and Spanish moss.

Although many of these fascinating plants have been adapted to our agricultural needs, air plants in the wild grow mostly on the branches of trees. They are far from being parasites, however. They never tap into the tree, nor do they try to strangle it to death like some kinds of ivy. They live peacefully with the trees, only using them for support.

Most air plants have a cup-shaped trap at the base of their leaves. This trap serves to collect rainwater and debris, and it also provides shelter for numerous animals such as frogs, serpents and insects. The air plant gets all of its nutrients from the air and from what finds its way into these traps. It can truly be said that it depends upon the grace of God for survival!

Can you imagine what would happen in our world if all believers in Christ started to live like these air plants? I am referring to depending completely on God in all we do!

How different the world would be! Instead of the "Stick up your hands and let me see your wallet!" mentality, we might find ourselves secretly slipping much-needed money in the pocket of a beggar. Instead of giving our "to-do lists" priority, we would stop in our tracks and focus on the needs of the person trying to catch our attention. Instead of telling the drunk on the street, "You want money? Go to the Salvation Army! I believe they have some soup for you!", we would be inviting that person to an elegant restaurant for dinner. Imagine his face!

Oh, sure, we do our civic duties by tossing money into the offering plate at church, and if we have time and remember to do so, we may pray for the needs of one or two people. But God does not desire our money. He does not want any sacrifice that does not come from the heart! Instead He wants you-the whole person that constitutes you! He is madly in love with you and He wants ALL of you! Not just a few crumbs you let drop!

Will you act like some kinds of ivy and have your actions choke out all hope of the people around us, or we you imitate the air plant's philosophy and depend solely upon God?  

Dear Lord, we pray that today we would be like the air plant and depend completely on You. Help us not be like the ivy and choke people out. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.