A Lesson of Dying...From a Dandelion

While endeavoring to become a better reader, I am currently completing a book about Lilias Trotter, a missionary to the Arabs in Algeria. I have been so blessed by her story and the description of the trials and victories she encountered while bringing the gospel to the Muslims of Africa. Ms. Trotter was an incredibly gifted artist and her numerous watercolor paintings beautifully express her love and heart for the African land and its people. I have been comforted and challenged by so much of the book, but one part particularly touched my heart in the area of dying to self. Using nature to create a picture for us, Ms. Trotter uses the dandelion, a "flower" more commonly considered a weed, but one that now I can look at as a beautiful picture of a spiritual lesson.

Unable to do it justice using my own words, I will rely on Ms. Trotter herself to teach this vital lesson of the Christian life, the lesson of dying to self. 

"This dandelion has long ago surrendered its golden petals, and has reached its crowning stage of dying-the delicate seed globe must break up now-it gives till it has nothing left...There is a sense of wrenching: it stands ready, holding up its little life, not knowing when or where or how the wind that bloweth where it listeth may carry it away. It holds itself no longer for its own keeping, only as something to be given: a breath does the rest, turning the "readiness to win" into the "performance" (2 Cor. 8:11). And to a soul that through "deaths oft" has been brought to this point, even acts that look as if they must involve an effort, become something natural, spontaneous, full of a "heavenly involuntariness," so simply are they the outcome of the indwelling love of Christ." 

Isn't that a simple and tender picture?  As the dandelion dies, losing the beauty of its slender yellow petals, replaced by a globe of seedy white, its whole purpose of existence is to be in readiness, waiting for the breath of breeze that will scatter the soft seeds abroad to settle where they will. 

As daughters of the King, there must be times, in each of our lives, a complete dying of our own wishes and desires, dreams, plans, a crucifying of our flesh; every part of us surrendered to the will of Christ, everything placed under His lordship. In doing so, we may be perceived by others to have "lost our chief beauty" just as the dandelion flower does, but in our Heavenly Father's service, nothing is ever lost that is given to Christ (Matthew 16:24-26). With expectancy, we await (Psalm 62:5), with faith and trust we look toward Him (Psalm 9:10 & Psalm 123:2), and at the "breeze" of His Spirit's direction, we immediately and without fear, allow ourselves to be "blown" over the ground that He wishes to "scatter" us upon and we take root and grow in the land He plants us in. As it is only by dying will the dandelion flower be able to be multiplied and flourish, so also it is only by dying to the flesh and fully surrendering to the will and voice of Christ, will we be used to the full effectiveness that the Lord desire for each of His daughters so that His name and kingdom will receive further glory. 

Would that all our eyes would be turned toward the Keeper of Our Souls and our full trust placed in the One that is already in our tomorrow. Would we be willing "die" to everything that our flesh craves for, and our hearts be in a position of complete and peaceful surrender... every day. 

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through                                                               the power of the Holy Ghost."                                                             Romans 15:13

Picture credit:https://liliastrotter.com/fifth-sunday-lent/dandelion/