Wisdom of the Saints
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
Today I learned a lesson about insects and you will too! I am not much of an outside gardener but I am willing to give it a try. Old timers around here tell me there are not many flowers and plants that the deer will not eat to the ground. However, I have a desire to have some kind of garden. Linda S. Clare (All God’s Creatures) shares her words of wisdom and it’s all good.
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I love to garden and care for growing things. I’ve often released ladybugs to quell aphids sucking the life out of my rosebushes, but when a majestic old maple tree in my yard became infested, I didn’t know what to do. I asked my friend Amber. She told me her secret—green lacewings.
Green lacewings? I had no idea they were beneficial insects. “Oops,” I said sheepishly. “I might have squashed a lacewing or three.”
Amber smiled. “The only reason I know about good bugs is because of my great-grandmother,” she said. “She lived in Oregon in the late 1800s, and she kept a diary. If she hadn’t written about how the green lacewings help manage pests, I’d probably be squishing them too.”
She showed me a photo of a green lacewing. I marveled at its delicate beauty. The light-green wings do look lacy, and their rounded gold-colored eyes are impressive. I learned that females lay their egg on individual stalks to keep them safe. The alligator-like larvae are voracious feeders that later transform into gorgeous yet strong adults.
I left Amber, thinking about how much I need the wisdom of those who came before me. Although my own great-grandmother didn’t leave a journal, she told me many things when I was a young girl. Some of her tips? Be slow to anger and quick to forgive, help the needy, laugh long and often. Most of all, she said, look for God’s handiwork everywhere, every day.
Thanks to the green lacewings, I am gaining the upper hand on the aphids in my yard. And thanks to my friend and her great-grandmother, I can thank God every day for the great cloud of witnesses who have come before me, sharing their wisdom and their great love.
When looking for wise words, the best ones often come from our elders. —Catherine Pulsifer
Creator of All, thank You for those who have gone before us and have left an imprint on our hearts. Help us to live our days with an attitude of gratefulness for lessons learned. AMEN.