God Blog-Starflowers and Forgiveness

For the past three weeks or so, the final leg of my path to the cranberry bog has been carpeted with the combination of Canada Mayflower, or False Lily of the Valley, and Starflowers. (Trientalis borealis) They are both common here in spring, the infamous ephemeral flowers of spring who “make hay while the sun shines” on their little patch of firmament. Soon the canopy of leaves will cut the light in half so, getting up and getting at it, in the spring is their motto.

Of the two, my favorite is the Starflower. An impossibly delicate plant, with a starry white flower on top of a ridiculously slender stalk. They are unusual in the plant world because rather than the more typical arrangement of 3, 4 or 5 petals, or multiples of that, they have seven. Seven petals, seven stamens, and often a whorl of seven leaves beneath the flower that adds to the star shape.

As I mentioned last Sunday, I am prone to think metaphorically when I am out walking, and this number 7 makes my mind jump to the notion of completeness the number 7 represented in the Old Testament. It also brings to mind the exchange between Peter and Jesus, when Peter asks Jesus how often he is to forgive his brother, in this case, “brother”, meaning his fellow believers. And you know, Peter thinks he is being magnanimous when he offers up the number 7. Should I forgive him 7 times? Again, that would be a stretch. But what does Jesus come back with? ” I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven times.” Matthew 18:22 Man, that’s crazy, that’s like ALWAYS! Yup, that’s like always.

So as my feet brush past these seven petals, seven stamens, seven leaves, Starflowers, I am reminded I had better not be a grudge holder. For there is also that rather riveting verse in Matthew where after teaching his disciples the Lord’s prayer, Jesus reminds them, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6: 14-15. So let us be magnanimous with our mercy and our grace, for He is that way with us.

And, not to start a whole other lecture here, but remember, forgiveness doesn’t mean condoning the bad thing that happened, it just means not letting the other persons actions have power over you. For the truth seems to be that resentment and grudge holding does more physical harm to the one holding the grudge than the one you are upset at. What do they say? It is like acid, eroding the container it is in. So take a walk among the Starflowers, enjoy your day, and let the grace and mercy flow. Happy Sunday.