The Chosen Weed

She and I put our heads together, leaning quietly toward the vibrant blossoms. The intricacies of each vein, the bold colors thrown out like rays from miniscule centers were a feast for our delighted eyes.

We continued down the path and spotted another cluster. This time bright pink. Ahead, even more. Snow white blossoms. Soon, they were everywhere. Some clusters contained a combination of colors. White streaked with flaming magenta. Pale pink streaked with crisp white. We were entranced.

The guys were eager to get to the next mile marker, but we girls lagged awhile to feast on the beauty.

As we bent over a particularly beautiful cluster of wildflowers, we were approached by a solitary hiker. He sauntered over, hands in his REI pockets. "From the carnation family," he blurted out deeply.

I was a bit startled, but then smiled and said, "Really? They're so beautiful!"

He sauntered away, "Yeah, but they're definitely weeds."

I caught Jamie's eye. He knew what I was thinking. Since when does the term "weed" automatically make something ugly?

They were beautiful to me.

That night I headed to dear ol' Wikipedia to look up the "weed." Guess what? It was Sweet William. I couldn't wait to teach the girls a new wildflower name to tuck away in their little minds. As I continued to read, I found one more irresistible piece of information.

Apparently, Kate Middleton chose to include a spray of Sweet William in her bridal bouquet, honoring her husband-to-be.

A "weed" made royal? The unwanted brought to a place of honor? The common named beautiful?

Sounds heavenly. Sounds strangely . . . familiar. Check this out:

Never again will you be called "The Forsaken City" or "The Desolate Land." Your new name will be "The City of God's Delight" and "The Bride of God," for the LORD delights in you and will claim you as his bride.

Claimed as his bride. Beautiful, honored, chosen.

A weed? Perhaps. A beauty? Definitely. Isn't it amazing what happens when we're chosen?


Isaiah 62:4