It was a disturbing sight.
Brutally abandoned in a parked van, they baked under the relentless Guatemalan sun for hours.
Twelve of them bundled together, their heads drooping lifelessly at all angles.
“Go inside, Honey. I’ll take care of them.”
“No,” replied Yesenia. “I liked them very much. Please…. bring them to the kitchen so I can try to save something from them.”
And that is how the story of our dozen roses began.
I really expected to finish shopping sooner. And I felt bad because I was certain the flowers were beyond hope.
Petals were falling off. The leaves were curled and not so green anymore. A bee flew by and didn’t even bother to check them out.
Yesenia admitted that she had much doubt, too. But she poured her heart into saving them.
She nipped a bit off the stems, removed the thorns, and gently placed them in a vase of fresh water as she quietly assured them it would be alright.
In a show of faith, Yesenia put these wilted, dried-out things in a position of honor: dead center of the coffee table, in front of the couch, blocking my view of the television.
She won’t admit it, but she probably prayed over the flowers at some point.
Whatever Yesenia did, it worked.
Imagine my surprise when I returned to find life blooming with gusto from that flower vase.
For more than a week, those roses flourished and provided beauty in our home.
It would have been easy to just throw them away and grab another dozen. There are roses everywhere in Guatemala.
But Yesenia knew those roses just needed help to get reborn.
There are people who might seem just as easy to throw away and forget.
But what if all they need is a little stem-snipping and thorn removal?
Maybe a simple glass of water will strengthen their stems and brighten their petals.
There are people who just need a moment front and center to bloom.
They need a reminder they are beautiful children of God… our brothers and sisters.
And for us to remember they are beautiful children of God… our brothers and sisters.
Certainly, they are worth our attention and some fresh water.
Lots of us find ourselves struggling and in need of attention sometimes.
Yesenia and I are blessed with the time and resources to look for wilting flowers every week.
But if you have a minute, how about calling on someone you haven’t heard from in a while?
You might just be the glass of water that gets them through a moment.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)