I invite you to contemplate these two very different plants.
One soft, one prickly – scary prickly.
Our front patio is a constant source of wonder at the variety of cacti and succulents. When our daughter brings her dog over, I make sure he doesn’t get close to the prickly one. (I think it’s a hedgehog cactus – can anyone confirm that for me?)
A safe home
There are many birds that manage to create a home in cacti. Tricky to build, but safe from predators. One bird even gets its name from this strange habit – the Cactus Wren. It’s the state bird of Arizona, and it makes sense the cactus wren would choose the state with the most cacti. That was news to me – I always thought the state bird would be the roadrunner. Meep meep.
Soft beauty
Many of my photos capture the beauty of succulents. I am constantly amazed at the limitless variations of their growth. And… I feel safer taking photos of them, since I usually like to get very close.
As I contemplate these two very different, but related plants, I imagine the cactus saying, ” Stay away from me – admire my beauty from a distance.” But the succulent is inviting, possibly saying, “Come closer, see how the symmetry brings you into a peaceful state? And marvel at the subtle colors of my petals.”
Wise words from Proverbs
Here is another comparison of soft (gentle) and prickly (harsh):
Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
15:4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
Learning from Nature
The natural world is one of the primary ways God “speaks” to me. Indigenous peoples have known this all along, and I appreciate them keeping the truth alive. As Paul said in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that humans are without excuse.”
Click HERE to see this photo on greeting cards, framed prints, and much more.