The Fern and the Bamboo - message of hope and expectancy

Ferns

Someone sent an email with a story about the fern and the bamboo.

A man was about to give up on the world. Before he checked out, he decided to have a last talk with God. He went for a walk in the woods and asked God to give him one good reason not to quit living.

So God showed him the fern and the bamboo. Turns out that if both seeds are planted at the same time and equally nurtured, the fern shoots up and is quickly beautiful. Each succeeding year the fern grows more luxurious.

Nothing at all happens to the bamboo seed for four years, despite the nurturing and tender care. In the fifth year a tiny, almost insignificant sprout appears. Within six months the bamboo is over 100 feet tall. For five years it had been growing a root system to support its height.

The moral is:

• Each of us has a different purpose.
• Each of us is beautiful and useful in God’s plan.
• We should be patient with ourselves while our root system is growing.
• We shouldn’t waste time comparing ourselves to others.
• Just do the best we know how, and God will be pleased.

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The fern and the bamboo story is a useful metaphor of hope, patience, and trust.

For me, it’s also helpful to know that the God who carefully plants and tenderly nurtures the seed is not remote and distant, but that He/She is right here – for us to lean on – in good times and bad. That He’s right here to answer our questions, hold our hand, guide our footsteps, shelter us from the storm. That because God is an infinite Mind, He is never too busy to care for any of His children. It’s what He loves to do most.

We love Him, the Bible says, because He first loved us. As we feel that nearness, that closeness, that tender oneness with Love itself, we feel connected with the rest of His creation. It becomes natural and easy to love, forgive, be kind and patient with others.