The Blade of Grass
When we take a step back to examine the work of our Father in His creations, we find profound beauty. The next time you go outside into the yard or the park, take around thirty seconds, find one blade of grass that interests you. Consider the life of that blade- what it endures in the storms, how much water it receives, whether it flourishes in the sunlight or struggles in the shade. Is it frequently stepped on because it lies in a walking path? Now think about this for a second. What if I were to tell you in those thirty seconds, no other human being in existence may ever give as much direct thought to it as you have in that time.
Yet, God thinks of us infinitely more [Psalm 139:18]. He considers our needs [Matthew 6:8; 31-32], the troubles we’ve experienced [Psalm 46:1], the life we’ve had more than any other in existence [ Psalm 139: 1-4]. Like grass, our lives are temporary, and our days are brief in the scope of eternity [Psalm 103:15]. However, unlike our fleeting moment with a blade of grass, God is not only always thinking about us; but He has never left us, His love is everlasting, and His plan for us is eternal.
When God gives us eyes to see, we begin to notice and value the lives of the people around us. We think and pray about them- their pain, their struggles, their victories, their needs and we view their burdens in a way as if they were our own. We begin to see others as if they are an extension of ourselves, people who are in desperate need of God. This perspective shifts our focus away from the worldly concerns and things that ultimately don’t matter, guiding us to embrace others as Christ embraces us [Philippians 2:4].
To take the grass allegory a bit further, when we follow the will of God, we follow His path, Christ’s path, that has been directed for us. We are all bound to make mistakes and find ourselves at times either too close to the edge or even stepping off the path entirely. As followers of Christ, we are not ones to be taking shortcuts. When we follow Christ, sometimes that means taking the long way to promotion, filled with challenges and sacrifices. When Jesus in Matthew 16:24 says “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” These are no small words. Discipleship demands commitment, perseverance and trust in God’s timing.
When we take the shortcuts what happens? Not only do we deviate from God’s path designated for us, but we impact others along the way. If we return to the imagery of the grass, those who are not on God’s path witness our missteps (disobedience) and may get trampled upon. If we trample over others in pursuit of our own desires—even if the end goal may seem aligned with God's will, when the path to get there isn’t—we risk harming the lives of others and tarnishing our witness. This is not to say that some hearts were not already hardened, but we do not ever want to be the reason people turn away from Jesus. Our actions are seen, and as ambassadors of Christ, we must strive to be obedient.
When we take shortcuts for personal gain, we chase after things that will inevitably fade away. Scripture reminds us that ‘all people are like grass’ and ‘the grass withers’ [1 Peter 1:24]. However, when we remain steadfast in Christ, we invest in something far greater, an eternal inheritance that never perishes.