The Dandelion Effect

It's Sunday night here in Valparaiso, and I'm winding down. I've done some email correspondence to New Hope at large and to some folks who were missing today. Then I worked on some seminary projects, read a little and watched some TV. But before I went to bed, I wanted to get some thoughts down about an image that keeps popping into my head when I think about New Hope.

The dandelion.

Yes, that's right. The dandelion.



When you look at the plant, you can see that God created it to spread. The way He designed the seeds to release when the wind blows or when the plant is affected by someone passing by is just sheer genius. But then it also helps that when the plant matures, it sends out a taproot deep into the soil, as well as presenting a pretty flower to the bees who will help the plant spread.

For some reason that plant just seems to embody what we as a church should be doing. Putting down roots in our community and being nurtured by God's Word just as the dandelion is nurtured by the soil it grows in.

Blessing our neighborhoods with the beauty of lives lived with purpose - to glorify God in whatever we do.

And following the wind of the Holy Spirit away from our homes and multiplying.

I think there's something we can learn from what God has done.