Let’s take a break from Matthew to consider the daffodils we are enjoying these days. Two weeks ago I hopped in the car to run some errands when what to my wandering eyes should appear but Forsythia! And in the next block—daffodils!

“This is only February,” I said out loud. Since then, I’ve heard at least three people say they have been trying to talk to their blossoms and buds, urging them to go back in—all to no avail. 

Now I just wouldn’t want an incident like this to slip by without gleaning a lesson to be learned, so let’s think it through.

We reason that it isn’t time for the flowers to be bloom yet. We surmise that more bad weather will yet come. The temperatures will drop, maybe to freezing, maybe snow! Their petals will freeze. They’ll shrivel up and die!

But they don’t listen. They stand there in defiance just like our (terrible-two) two-year-olds or middle schoolers or high school know-it-alls or even our adult children. We can see ahead; we know the devastation they face, we try to warn them, but off they go into destruction.

Whew! I guess that’s one lesson we can imagine from our little yellow friends. Let’s look at another.

Daffodils were made to bloom. They happen to usually be the ones to herald in the Spring, but mostly, they were made to respond to warm soil in rising temperatures with nourishing rain and that’s exactly what they have done. They have been obedient to their calling. They have no calendars tucked under their leafy arms; they simply respond according to who they are.

We, too, were made to respond to the Creator’s wooing, but He gave us the gift of choice. Over and over in the Old Testament, we are encouraged to be obedient. Moses said:

Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. Exodus 12:24

In the New Testament, Jesus made it clear that obedience was still important and that we would be blessed by it.

“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Luke 11:28 

He also told us to teach obedience to others. He said “Go,” “baptize,” 

“…and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.” And the best part… “I am with you always to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Oh, that we could naturally respond to the Savior like the daffodils do—the sun is shining, the rains have come, the ground is warm, let’s go! Indeed, we can become responsive to what He gives us; we simply must choose to do so.

~ Joyce ~