Lessons from a Zinnia

Two weeks ago I was teaching my Systematic Theology class about spiritual growth.  Scripture uses agricultural metaphors to describe the nature of the spiritual life more than any other metaphor.  So, I decided to use a live demonstration as a tool for teaching.  Ann provided the pot, and recommended a couple different kind of seeds.  When I got to Wal-Mart, I recognized "Zinnia" as one of the names she'd mentioned.  Then in class I had one of my students plants the seeds.

After class was over, I watered the soil and made sure the seeds got some sun, and the lessons began.

Lesson One:  Even if the seed and soil are good, and you give it water and sun, there will not be immediate growth.  Spiritual growth takes time.

While the students went home for a week for their Spring Break, I took the "Z-Man" home with me.  I called the plant that because being a flower and called a zinnia, the guys in the classroom (myself included) needed to feel a sense of connection with our flowering metaphor.  About a week after the initial planing, the Z-man showed signs of life and I posted it on our class Facebook site.  But as encouraging as the growth was, it was still very tender.  Which leads me to . . .

Lesson Two:  When growth first begins, it is very fragile.  It would take very little for the growth to be killed or squashed.  New growth is fragile.

Over the next week, some additional growth occurred, but the most obvious change was that the Z-man was leaning whatever direction the sun shone on him.  The shoots obviously leaned in the direction the light was coming from.  Healthy growth is toward the light.

I'm sure the Z-man will be the means of several more lessons about growth in a godward direction.  But for now, it is worth reflecting on what has been demonstrated to this point.