Frankenstein Roses

I have this crazy rosebush in my backyard. When I bought it, it was this beautiful, dark green, broad-leafed, shrub that produced big, long-stemmed, hybrid tea roses — white with pale pink around the edges of the petals. Absolutely stunning! I loved the shape, the color, and the smell! 

Then, two years ago, I got lazy in the care of my flowers, and they went without adequate water. It was a hot and dry summer, here in Texas (if you can imagine!), and I wasn’t sure this rosebush would make it. I was pleasantly surprised when I caught a glimpse of green leaves budding the next spring. 

When the first rosebuds appeared, however, I was very confused. Rather than the large white and pale pink roses that had bloomed the previous year, these were clusters of smaller, very deep maroon roses. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that, instead of the dark green, broad leaves, there were now smaller, brighter green leaves. And, the shrub was now climbing. But, only half of it. (I told you it was crazy.) The other half of the rosebush was the one I had purchased, planted, and enjoyed the year before. I was completely bewildered. And, to be honest, I am not a huge fan of the roses that are now blooming profusely right next to the ones I love. I keep looking at this weird, Frankenstein bush, wondering what in the world happened.

Apparently, the rose I purchased was not an “own root” rosebush. It had been grafted in. Then, when the plant was stressed, some of the graft died, and the strong root of the plant it had been grafted onto took over and started producing canes again. So, now, I have this bush that I don’t really love producing two very different types of foliage and flowers side by side. It’s really kind of frustrating to me. I feel like I didn’t get exactly what I thought I was getting. At the same time, I feel responsible, since I let my roses get stressed. What I really want is for this rosebush to just be consistent.

And, then, the teacher in me keeps looking for a lesson. 

I think, as believers, we can be a lot like this rosebush. The moment we heard and believed the gospel of Jesus Christ, He started growing and producing beautiful fruit in us. When we take time and care for our walk with Him, trusting Him, growing in Him, He shapes us into something that is absolutely stunning.

But, if we get lazy, if we don’t water our relationship as we should, when the hot and dry seasons come (and they will), we can get stressed. We can start to revert back to who we used to be. We may start speaking differently, making choices that don’t look like our Savior, letting our old selves take over. I imagine that can be very confusing to an onlooking world. 

What Christ wants, and what the onlooking world needs, is for us to just be consistent. When we showcase two different versions of ourselves, we detract from His work, His beauty, His goodness. What He wants is for us to be firmly planted by Him, deeply rooted in Him, daily watered by Him, so that when the hot seasons of drought come, we will flourish.

The best part of this lesson for me was this: while I don’t have a clue what to do now to redeem this rosebush — I’m not sure how to prune it, how to fertilize it, how to encourage the right growth — our God is infinitely wise in His care for us. Where we might see a lost cause, He sees His own creation, capable of bringing Him glory. 

So, if you think you might be resembling this crazy rosebush, simply put yourself in the capable, loving hands of God, the Gardener. He’s the Creator, Nurturer, Protector, Caretaker of all life — He’s completely trustworthy, and redemption is His specialty.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD
 And whose trust is the LORD.
For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:7-8