Are You a Violet?

I read this story in my devotional, Steams in the Desert, this morning and just loved it too much not to share!


"A story is told of a king who went to his garden one morning, only to find everything withered and dying.  He asked the oak tree that stood near the gate what the trouble was.  The oak said it was tired of life and determined to die because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine tree.  The pine was troubled because it could not bear grapes like the grapevine.  The grapevine was determined to throw its life away because it could not stand erect and produce fruit as large as peaches.  The geranium was fretting because it was not tall and fragrant like the lilac.


And so it went throughout the garden.  Yet coming to a violet, the kind found its face as bright and happy as ever and said, 'Well, violet, I'm glad to find one brave little flower in the midst of this discouragement.  You don't seem the least bit disheartened.'  The violet responded, 'No, I'm not.  I know I'm small, yet I thought if you wanted an oak or a pine or a peach tree or even a lilac, you would have planted one.  Since I knew you wanted a violet, I'm determined to be the best little violet I can be.' "

Are you being the best large oak, tall pine, fruitful grapevine or peach tree, fragrant lilac or brave little violet you can be?


"...for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content:  I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  ~ Philippians 4:11-13


Blessings in Christ,