“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23, NLT).
As a fisherman, I have a complicated relationship with the lotus. The American lotus is a wildflower that grows around the edges of ponds and in river backwaters. The fragrant yellow flower can open to a width of ten inches.
The blossom appears to float on the water yet is rooted in the muddy soil beneath the surface. The submerged rhizomes form a thick mat that can entangle fishing lines and frustrate anglers like me. Coveted fish like walleye and largemouth bass also are prevented from inhabiting areas covered with lotus.
Aside from my misgivings as a fisherman, I do admire the flower for its use of ultrahydrophobicity, otherwise known as the lotus effect. The surface of the lotus is textured with microscopic beads that prevent dirt from sticking. Though surrounded by muddied water, the flower maintains its clean and pure appearance as the dirt slides off the petals.
Unfortunately, the human spirit does not have in place its own built-in self-cleaning system. The effects of negativity that we too often encounter each day can cling stubbornly to our souls. This unfortunate reality is why King Solomon issued the following counsel:
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23, NLT).
Solomon’s advice doesn’t mean you should close yourself up and be scared. Rather the intent is to be careful who or what you allow into your private spaces. American author, Robert Tew, once warned, “Don’t let negative people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out.”
Meanspirited remarks, disapproving stares, and other thinly veiled hostilities carry the potential to soil the soul. Yet those who vigorously disallow such negativity to stain their memories are more apt to blossom with greater joy throughout the day. Like the lotus, the fragrance and beauty that rises from the depths of their hearts will bloom into a bouquet of smiles.
As a fisherman, I have a complicated relationship with the lotus. The American lotus is a wildflower that grows around the edges of ponds and in river backwaters. The fragrant yellow flower can open to a width of ten inches.
The blossom appears to float on the water yet is rooted in the muddy soil beneath the surface. The submerged rhizomes form a thick mat that can entangle fishing lines and frustrate anglers like me. Coveted fish like walleye and largemouth bass also are prevented from inhabiting areas covered with lotus.
Aside from my misgivings as a fisherman, I do admire the flower for its use of ultrahydrophobicity, otherwise known as the lotus effect. The surface of the lotus is textured with microscopic beads that prevent dirt from sticking. Though surrounded by muddied water, the flower maintains its clean and pure appearance as the dirt slides off the petals.
Unfortunately, the human spirit does not have in place its own built-in self-cleaning system. The effects of negativity that we too often encounter each day can cling stubbornly to our souls. This unfortunate reality is why King Solomon issued the following counsel:
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23, NLT).
Solomon’s advice doesn’t mean you should close yourself up and be scared. Rather the intent is to be careful who or what you allow into your private spaces. American author, Robert Tew, once warned, “Don’t let negative people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out.”
Meanspirited remarks, disapproving stares, and other thinly veiled hostilities carry the potential to soil the soul. Yet those who vigorously disallow such negativity to stain their memories are more apt to blossom with greater joy throughout the day. Like the lotus, the fragrance and beauty that rises from the depths of their hearts will bloom into a bouquet of smiles.