As we make our way haltingly through life there are but few things that have accompanied us in the long haul. One case in point is a stalwart bit of greenery that has quietly bided its time with us for better than forty years. It was given to us by a previous owner who had nurtured and cared for it untold years prior to its adoption by us. It has determinedly gone about its business, as we have ours, shouldering the vagaries of life and living.
It is a Hoya plant with long trailing shoots and waxy leaves that keep it alive during times of stress and drought. Oft times that drought is weekly in nature as the Hoya gets ignored until it is bone dry. Each new infusion of water works miraculously to revive it, renewing its lease on life for yet one more stretch of time. There is appreciation for the tenacity that it has shown over the years through better than a dozen moves and multiple growing situations where temperature and light were at a premium.
The Hoya remains much the same from day-to-day, something to brush by or look past as we go about our other business. And then it surprises us with unexpected new growth in the form of dark new shiny perfect leaves. It less frequently rewards us with a remarkable bloom that always impresses. In spite of its lack of diligent care, it steps forth with beauty that belies its rather passive role.
Discovering and recognizing new growth is what building faith is all about. The ability of time and weather worn souls to pick up on something new to appreciate is admirable to say the least. Why is it that we lose our affinities for discovery and settle for the same dry existence? The old adage is true; the more we learn, the more there is to learn. Some have put it a slightly different way. . . The more we learn the less we know. Nothing could be truer than that when it comes to theology. The more we delve into the mystery of the Divine, the grander it becomes something that spurs us on to greater inquiry.
Watering, feeding, observing and waiting patiently are all factors that contribute to the wellness of scripture in our lives. The more one understands its origins, motivations and cultural context, the harder it becomes to ignore the wide range of possibilities it represents. At this time of year in the liturgical cycle it is easy to slip into tote expressions of familiar verse. Of course, that remains an important faith tradition to many peoples’ lives, but spiritual wellness is more than that. It is a willingness to peer beyond the egoistic self and to open our minds to greater possibility than we could previously imagine.
Can we revel in the traditions of religious holidays while seeking new inspiration beyond text and beyond teaching? If a Hoya can put up with inconsistent care and flourish, then there is hope also for us as we continue to build our faith. New leaves are always ready to emerge, new blooms prepared to open. They’re easy to miss unless we are paying attention. (kf)
Haxtun Church Of The Brethren 