I recently read an article by Robyn Huck, “On Love and Spider Plants”. Honestly, I know nothing
about plants… but my mother-in-law recently gave me a spider plant (a sprout
from the plant on the alter at her wedding almost 37 years ago)… so this stood
out to me. I thought it was a great picture of what Christian love should look
like. Love is a character trait (1 Corinthians 13), it makes an impact, and it
connects with something bigger. We should be cultivating love that expands
beyond ourselves… like a spider plant. We have had an incredible example of
love (Philippians 2:5-11)! Let’s spend some time thinking about how we love
others.
Years ago there was a tall stack of shelves in our home that
held nothing but spider plants—dozens of them. A spider plant (Latin name:
Clorophytum comosum—I looked it up) looks like a clump of
decorative grass, and
it seems as soon as it’s barely rooted, it sends out a shoot that grows a new
little spider plant suspended in midair. Every spider plant on our shelves had
many shoots that produced sprouts, and those sprouts produced more sprouts.
Sometimes the little offspring landed in the pots on the shelf below, and
they’d happily root and sprout again.
Eventually, the spider plants cascaded down to the floor. They made such
an impact in that room that we called it “the spider room.” As odd as it may sound, this wall of spider plants reminds
me of Christian love. Just as there is something in the plant’s DNA that causes
it to produce a never-ending bounty of sprouts, the same is true of godly love.
Our outward acts of love toward others (making meals, helping with bills,
lending a car, spending time, exhorting, encouraging, etc.) continuously sprout
from a heart whose spiritual DNA is coded by the Holy Spirit. Loving others
becomes endemic to who we are—part of our character—like sprouting is to a
spider plant.
Love is a character trait
1 Corinthians 13 says we are to have love. To have love is
to embody it as a character trait that is actively involved in
everything—everything—we think and do. Our talents, gifts, abilities, and
actions are to be influenced, informed, guided, and edited by love. This
character trait of love produces acts of love that are wisely tailored to the
moment and encourage that which is right and good.
Love makes an impact
Love produces fruit. It makes an impact. It furthers the
kingdom of God. I have a friend named Margaret who is particularly good at
blessing people. One time, I traveled an hour with her to attend a funeral.
Sitting in a pew in that church was a young woman who looked frightened, like
she was in enemy territory. She had a punk hair style and many facial
piercings. Margaret, then in her mid 70’s with a very sweet grandmotherly
appearance, sat beside this young woman and began talking with her. I saw the
young woman soften from her defensive look to that of one who knew she was safe
and welcome. This wasn’t even Margaret’s church but she reached out as the
welcoming committee nonetheless. Her act of love changed the environment.
Fun fact: those little spider plant sprouts that hang in the
air actually remove toxins and improve the air quality. I think Margaret’s love
tangibly changed the atmosphere for that woman. That small act made an impact.
Love connects us with something bigger
After our spider room had been in existence for a few years,
it became impossible to pick up any individual plant. They were all happily
intertwined. Each plant and every sprout was adding to the nutritive
give-and-take of the group as a whole. They were, in a sense, a community. And
though the plants were a bit messy and chaotic (like people!) there seemed to
be a strength and purpose to it. Our churches should look very similar to that mass of spider
plants, don’t you think? By giving and receiving, we become connected on both a
physical level, by helping each other with the challenges of living, and on a
spiritual level as we seek to be known as ambassadors of Christ, loving as he
loved.
Love binds us to each other and identifies us as God’s
people. Because of the cohesive character of love, every one of us is an
important part of something much bigger than ourselves.
Cultivate love
No matter what relationship or situation we are thinking
about, involving church, family, neighborhood, friends or marriage, the essence
of love is not a feeling or action or decision or commitment. Love at its core
is a character trait. When Paul says “Pursue love” he’s saying “Get this
quality. Grow it in yourself.” He is urging us to try to be love—just as God is
love. To be love is to expand beyond self and participate in the divine nature.
(2Peter1:4)
My spider plants very nearly took over that room in my
house. Together, they thrived in a way they could not have on their own. It was
as if they were living for something bigger than themselves. The same is true
for us. Love begets love. God’s love begets ours—and the sprouts begin to fill
the room.
Huck, Robyn. "On Love and Spider Plants." Web log
post. Christian Counseling and
Educational Foundation, 12 Feb. 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.