I’ve always liked Skunk Cabbage plants. They grow in swampy places and in boggy spots, such as drainage ditches alongside roadways.
One of the reasons I like Skunk Cabbage so much is that after endless months of dreary greyness and winter rains, the cheerful yellow Skunk Cabbage blooms are such a bright splash of happiness each April, as I see them here and there in random roadside ditches.
I learned something new this year that I never knew before: the Skunk Cabbage also has another name – Swamp Lantern. Is that not the coolest thing ever!
It makes me think how Jesus changes our name when we repent of our sin and come to him for salvation. No longer are we who we used to be. We are now Chosen … we are Forgiven … we are Redeemed … we are Accepted … we are Loved … we are a child of the King of Heaven!
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” – 1 Peter 2:9
Just like Skunk Cabbage is now a Swamp Lantern … so also, we are now “lanterns” (so to speak) shining the light and the love of Jesus Christ in the “swampy” places of life.
The last blog post pondered the youthful exuberance and energy of the younger years. Here you can see a young, “youthful” Swamp Lantern. It is “shining its lantern” and making a bright splash of happiness in a boggy out-of-the-way spot over on the Olympic Peninsula, at the furthermost western point of the lower continental United States.
The last blog post also pondered how we each “mellow with age.” Here you can see a little older Swamp Lantern making a bright splash of happiness in a boggy muddy spot along a hiking trail high in the Cascades. It’s a little older, it’s got a few more leaves, it’s a bit more mature.
I also mentioned in the last blog post how hubby and I and our daughter recently attended a business conference all about making an impact for the Kingdom of God in our daily workplaces. These two Swamp Lanterns are a good picture of what it looks like to “shine a lantern” of bright cheerful hope in a muddy, boggy, out-of-the-way spot. This right here is what it is like for each of us (who are followers of Jesus Christ) to “shine the light of Jesus” in our own daily workplaces.
Our daily workplaces can be “muddy” places … with customers yelling hatefulness at us each day.
Our daily workplaces can be “muddy” places … with coworkers acting maliciously towards us (often underhanded and behind-our-backs).
Our daily workplaces can be “muddy, swampy” places … where unethical behavior is the “norm.”
Our daily workplaces can be “muddy, swampy” places … where lying is the “norm.”
Our daily workplaces can be “muddy” places … where the background radio plays explicit lyrics all day long.
Each of us (as a “Swamp Lantern”) are in our own unique daily workplace. Perhaps like the Swamp Lantern growing in the out-of-the way spot at the furthermost western point of the lower continental United States … or maybe like the Swamp Lantern growing high in the Cascades along a hiking trail.
Our daily workplace is “muddy” … and “swampy” … and “boggy.” But even in the “swamp” we can have an impact for the Kingdom of God as we “shine our lantern.”
We can bring a bright splash of the love of Jesus to the “swamp.” We can bring a bright splash of the kindness of Jesus to the “swamp.” We can bring a bright splash of truth to the “swamp.”
And just like the Swamp Lanterns blooming in random drainage ditches alongside random roadways fill me with happiness as I drive by, so also in the same way our own “swamp lantern” is being seen by people whom we don’t even know are noticing. Our “swamp lantern” is being noticed by people who are simply “driving by” in life. Our “swamp lantern” is making a difference! Our “swamp lantern” is having an impact for the Kingdom of God!
Here you can see some older, mature Swamp Lanterns growing alongside a walking path my son told hubby and me about. Aren’t they gorgeous!
Just like the previous blog post discussed – every stage of life is beautiful! Every season of life is beautiful! The young, youthful season can have an impact! And the older, mature season can have an impact!
Every stage of life has the opportunity to make a difference!
Every season of life has the opportunity to make an impact for the Kingdom of God … as we “shine our lantern” in the “swamp.”
“God has made everything beautiful in its time.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11
“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16
