It is that time of year again, time to start mowing the lawn. It seems that not more than a day or two after the grass is freshly cut the yard is covered with those pesky dandelions. Your view of the plant may be that it is a nuisance weed or maybe you view it as a delicious edible plant. Dandelions are actually very beneficial plants; their rich yellow pollen serves as an excellent source of food for bees and other insects. Humans have discovered dozens of culinary and medicinal uses for dandelion roots, leaves and flowers. The plants spread so quickly that they seem almost impossible to contain. The seed heads of the dandelion can produce as many as 20,000 viable seeds. The seeds are spread by the wind or by any means in which the seed heads are disturbed causing the seeds to be scattered everywhere, possibly for miles. The dandelion taproot anchors itself securely to the ground, which can measure up to three feet. These taproots not only anchor them to the ground but can also sprout when wounded. Dandelion taproots can produce two to five shoots when injured, which is the reason it seems like every time you pull a dandelion several more sprout up in its place. These plants can grow almost anywhere from your lawn to cracks in city sidewalks and are so resilient they can survive through winters in northern climates and droughts in hot southern places.

As I gathered information about the dandelion I thought of the correlation between the common dandelion and a thriving church. A thriving church is attractive to others just as bees are drawn to the yellow pollen of a dandelion. A thriving church spreads the message of the Kingdom of God outside the walls of their building allowing for continual Kingdom advancement like the seed head of a dandelion spreads its seeds when it comes in contact with something. The roots of a thriving church are deeply entrenched in the Bible promoting the truth within, which allows it to “stay the course” against false teachings that are constantly being advanced.

Today as you consider pausing at noon to Bend-A-Knee in prayer may you ask God to help the global church thrive with resilience like dandelions. Ask God to use you to spread the message of the Kingdom of God so that others may become Kingdom residents with God as their King. Ask God to help you sprout a vibrant faith that is strengthened when wounded or injured because of your deep roots in Christ Jesus. May God allow you to connect your faith with the dandelion so you may thrive in any situation and wherever you are planted for God’s glory.

Stay connected to God & to others

God’s Peace,

Pastor Mike