Pine cones are wonderful things! They are incredibly tactile, come in different shapes, sizes and colours and can be great fun to play with! Recently, I felt like Jesus was highlighting a pine cone to me, inviting me to take a closer look...
Inside each cone are many tiny seeds, all tucked away in the hard folds on the outside. They can be tricky to see, you have to look closely and maybe even prise one of these folds apart to find one. Yet, within each miniature seed is the potential for a whole new pine tree bearing many pine cones of its own, each one with many more seeds within it. There's SO much potential in even just one single cone.
I felt like Jesus was showing me that each child is like this pine cone. They hold many seeds of opportunity and potential, although it can be hard for us to see this in them when they are young. But, if we have a heart to see like Jesus sees, he will show us who each child is in his eyes, he will help us to nurture the seeds he has placed, even hidden, within them, so they can grow and mature into who he has created them to be: their unique expression of Christ on this planet. I encourage you to view each child as someone packed full of potential and opportunity! Let's create safe spaces for them to be open to God, so those seeds can be released!
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:14-15 (New International Version, The Bible)
