Seeds For Thinking

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you . . . Genesis 3:18a, NKJV

I suppose that we must accept the fact that we sometimes have to take the bitter with the sweet. And into each life some . . . thorns will grow, no doubt moistened by the rains that fall.
Ah! Yes, and accept life’s misfortunes as well as its joys.
My life as a shepherd brings me into physical contact with a variety of thorns, briers and thistles, a legacy, I suppose, of Adam’s indiscretion. Several examples of prickly and poking things insist on sharing this plot of ground with me. They snag my clothing, puncture tires, and tangle in the wool on the sheep.
The Bible symbolizes that which is worthless or evil as briers (Micah 7:4.) Ezekiel characterized the enemies of Israel as pricking briers and painful thorns (28:4.) Isaiah tells a parable of a vineyard in chapter 5, vss. 1-7, abandoned to briers and thorns when it brought forth wild grapes. The vineyard, of course, is Judah; God will “take away its hedge and break down its wall” (vs. 5.)
Jesus compared false prophets to thornbushes and thistles. (Mt. 7:16; Lk. 6:44) The earth that bears thorns and briers is rejected. (Hebrews 5:8)
There is irony that such prickly plants as inflict distress or irritation also bear some of the most beautiful, aromatic flowers and luscious fruit. The bramble family includes raspberries and blackberries, for example, a treat for those brave enough to do battle with the briers. Honey bees make a sweet, water white honey from the nectar of the thorny locust tree.
A bramble called “multiflora rose” abounds in our area. Now condemned as an invasive plant pest, Multiflora rose was promoted for use in erosion control and as "living fences" to confine livestock. Sounded like a wonder plant, at first. Unfortunately, it spreads everywhere, especially where you don’t want briers, and the real wonder is why people planted it in the first place!
Sometimes we have a figurative “thorn in the flesh” to torment us. (See 2 Cor. 12:7) We may encounter a prickly situation at home, at work, at school, or - heaven forbid! - even at church. And, few there be among us that escape physical pain, but some seem to have more than their fair share.
Still, for those who seek and hope, may the Lord bring His grace to you, as he said to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9)
Think of the rose: cultivated by multitudes, praised by poets, and tendered as a token of love and appreciation, the rose’s better qualities outweigh its otherwise prickly nature.
Yes, life will bring forth thorns and thistles, but, handled carefully, even briers blossom and bring forth fruit, or a sweet, heavenly perfume.
August 19, 2007

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: But he (a lawyer), wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29, NKJV - The Parable of the Good Samaritan)

What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, 1594:

True, whatever we choose to call a rose won’t change the plant, but unfamiliar names can be very confusing.
Jesus used the names of three possible “neighbors” in the parable of the Good Samaritan: A priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan. The first two served in the temple as intercessors between God and the people. Samaritans were despised by the Jews, and viewed as least likely to act charitably.
Think about this list of names, given in their formal or scientific form, and choose which ones you desire to have as a ‘neighbor’:

Helianthus
Cucurbitaceae
Rosa multiflora
Rhus radicans
Pueraria montana
Dianthus caryophyllus

Now for a little bit of chemistry (just a little.)
Carbon Dioxide
feric oxide
il latte scremato
aurum
carbon monoxide
dihydrogen monoxide

Ready? Picked out your ‘neighbors’? Let’s start with the plants.
If you like sunflowers, you will go with Helianthus.

Rosa multiflora is pretty, prickly, and invasive - multiflora rose. But ‘many flowered.’

Kudzu, “The plant that ate the south,” is scientifically known as Pueraria montana.

Cucurbitaceae is a plant family commonly known as melons, gourds or cucurbits and includes crops like cucumbers, squashes (including pumpkins), luffas, melons and watermelons.

“Leaves of three - Let it be!” - aka, Toxicodendron radicans; aka, poison ivy.

And most of you probably don’t go around referring to a carnation by its given name - Dianthus caryophyllus.

Now for the next list, with some more ‘surprises.’

Carbon dioxide. -“greenhouse gas” that is changing our climate. We have apparently got too much of the stuff, but plants could not survive without it.

il latte scremato is Italian for skim milk.

A colorless, odorless and tasteless gas, which is highly toxic to humans and animals. So - carbon monoxide.

Ferric oxide by any other name is still - rust. Iron oxide.

Go for the Gold! Aurum, the Latin word for Gold.

dihydrogen monoxide -
The Hebrew word for it is "mem", (pronounced, mayim). The Greeks called it ‘hydor,’ or ‘hudor.’ We get the the prefix hydro- from them. The Romans called it ‘aqua. In Spanish, it is ‘agua.’ Perhaps the German “wasser" is closer to the term you are looking for. This mysterious stuff - commonly written as H2O. Water!
There was a hoax perpetrated using this unfamiliar name for water, listing some negative effects of water, then asking individuals to help control the seemingly dangerous substance. “Bad stuff!!” And people fell for it!
Jesus was talking about prejudice - preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience. Did the word ‘chemistry’ turn you off? If carbon monoxide is bad, did you assume that dihydrogen monoxide also had to be bad?

“There is so much good in the worst of us; and so much bad in the best of us; that it doesn’t behoove any of us, to talk about the rest of us.”

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Ezekiel wrote, “I will remove from them their heart of stone, and give them a heart of flesh. Ezk. 11:19b, NIV
Good News!
“For to unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given,
and the government will be upon his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
Matthew affirms that a “’virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ - which means, God with us.” (Mt. 1:23)
We look forward to the culmination of that promise in the birth of Jesus as we begin the Advent season of the church calendar, the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas and observed by some Christians as a season of prayer and fasting.
Good News, Indeed!
So why, then, are some so stressed out and irritable?
Thoughts of endless rounds of shopping, scheduling, cooking and decorating send some to questioning, “Who started Christmas, anyway?” That is usually a rhetorical question; they don’t really want to know, and couldn’t care less about the real reason for the season. They feel trapped, pressured, by a social custom they dare not ignore, missing the joy they are supposed to have, but can’t find. On the other hand, some who know the real reason for Christmas also get themselves worked up to a purple tizzy, over those who ignore Jesus’ role in it. Santa Claus, “XMAS,” the whole commercialization of the Savior’s birth so grabs their focus that they loose sight of the Good News. They also miss the joy of Jesus.
My suggestion is to think of caves. That’s right, caves. Sure, we can rant and rail against the ‘world’s way,’ but that is about like making a cave by bashing rock against rock. It creates a lot of noise, and an abrasive residue. No, better to be like the steady drip of water that dissolves the limestone, and leaves behind a cave.
First, watch that anger at the world doesn’t eat away at the foundation of your “temple”,” bringing it down to ruin.
Second, be as drops of sweet water, dissolving the hardness of hearts of stone. Set an example of joy, peace, and good will. Perhaps some will see, and open their hearts to Jesus, the real Reason for the Season.
November 30, 2003

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com

Scripture: Matthew wrote, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save people from their sins.” Mt. 1:21, NIV

What’s in a name? Shakespeare said, “ A rose by another name would smell as sweet.” For most of us, a name is merely a means of identification. Many know that there are other people who share at least the same first and last name. People in some countries, such as Indonesia, use only one name. In other cultures, the name identifies not only the person, but the personality.
For example, the person we know as Peter, the headstrong disciple of Jesus, was Simon bar Jonah - Simon son of Jonah. Jesus gave him the name ‘Stone’ or ‘Rock,’ which in Latin (petros) became ‘Peter.’
But let’s go back a few centuries to some names from the Old Testament. You’ve heard of Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. And Daniel, of course. But what about Belteshazzar, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah? Same people! We don’t know Daniel by his Babylonian name, Belteshazzar. They were given new names by the chief official of king Nebuchadnezzar (now that’s a mouthful!) Daniel’s new name meant, “O Lady Protect the King” in Babylonian. The Lady mentioned was the wife of Marduk, the god of Babylon. Daniel means ‘God has judged.’
Shadrack means ‘I am very fearful (of a god)’ while ‘Hananiah’ means “Yaweh has been gracious.”
Mishael means “Who is what God is?” but Meshach means “I am of no account.”
Better at least to be called ‘Abednego’ the Servant of the Shining one.’ Better still to be called Azariah, “Yaweh has helped.”
The king in question was Nabu-kudurri-usur, or ‘Nebo, defend the boundary.’
Since Chaldean has gone out of style, King James dubbed him ‘Nebuchadrezzar.”
Consider ‘Nabul.’ He lived up to his name, ‘Foolish’ or ‘Churlish.’ He refused to help king David; his wife, Abigail, apologized for her husbands churlish conduct. When Nabul sobered up enough to understand what he had done, he was profoundly affected and died ten days later. Abigail later became one of David’s wives.
Saul means ‘asked of God.’ The first king of Israel got himself in big trouble by not obeying the Lord. The Saul of the New Testament changed to his Latin name of Paul.
Places, too, have names. How about Urusilimmu? Aren’t you glad ‘foundation of the god (Shalem)’ is called Jerusalem in English?
Now consider “Joshua“ which developed into Jeshua (sometimes Yeshua). Greek and Latin Iesous. The Greek “I” became “J” in English. Yaweh IS Salvation!
Yes!! “Jesus is Salvation.” By any other name - “Oh! How Sweet.
October 6, 2002