"A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out..."
(MATTHEW 12:20)

Matthew 12:15-21
My mother has a green thumb. Our house was always full of plants. I wasn’t supposed to throw balls in the house, but one day I still managed to knock one of her favorite plants to the ground. I could see that one of the stalks was bent awkwardly from landing on the floor. It looked hopeless for the plant, and for me! But mom took the plant to the kitchen sink and hunched over it. Carefully, she splinted the damaged area with a toothpick and sewing thread. “Now I’ve seen it all!” I said. “You are splinting a plant.” She finished her careful work and set it back in its place, assuring me it would look great once it bloomed. Of course, she was right.


Jesus is a good gardener, too. He doesn’t discard us when it looks hopeless. He bends over our bruised selves and gently splints us back to health because He knows His grace can bring us to full bloom again. Bruised reeds are useless until the Good Gardener does His careful work. That’s the Good Gardener who was there at the beginning of time and then was willingly broken to make us whole again.



Scripture Focus

Matthew 12:15-21

Insight

"HEARTS UNFOLD LIKE FLOWERS BEFORE THEE OPENING TO THE SUN ABOVE."
(HENRY VAN DYKE, 1907)

Bible In A Year

  • Isaiah 47-48
  • Psalm 94
  • Acts 17

RENEW Your Anchor Subscription Today