Lotus Pod
On Being Light in a Dark World
The lotus is a fascinating plant. Growing in close to 8 feet of water, she brings blessing wherever she is planted -- purifying water, removing toxins and increasing oxygen levels in the aquatic environment, feeding people and animals with edible shoots, seeds, and leaves, and beautifying her environment with lovely flowers and unique pods like the one I've drawn here.
In His sermon on the mount, Jesus tells us we are to be blessings and purifying agents to the environments we find ourselves in, our communities:
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)
Traditionally, salt was used as a purifying agent, as in Leviticus 2:13. The Amplified Bible says:
You shall season every grain offering with salt so that the salt (preservation) of the covenant of your God will not be missing from your grain offering. You shall offer salt with all your offerings
The implication is that we, as “the salt of the earth” referenced in Matthew, are to be preservers of righteousness in the earth. Jesus follows this up with the exhortation to be a “city on a hill” — to be shining beacons of His Kingdom here. To be people of good influence to all around us in the way cities could be hubs that influenced the surrounding territories and cultures.
But back to the lotus for a minute: perhaps the most unique element of the lotus is it's exceptionally long-lived seeds -- a verified 1200 YEAR old seed was successfully germinated in 19941.
The definition of legacy is “the long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past, or of a person’s life.” Much like how the lotus improves her environment and provides for that improvement year after year, and in this case, over a thousand centuries later — we are called to influence our environment and culture in ways that far outlast us.
I want to live like that.
I want to live a life of blessing unto others, so much so that the seeds I plant far outlive me.
It’s the kind of life, the kind of legacy that can only be achieved in partnership with the One who is “from everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:2).
“Lotus Pod,” 7x5 inches; charcoal
$110 USD
Knight, T. (1996). Lotus seed sprouts after sleeping 1,200 years. Deseret News/Los Angeles Daily News. https://www.deseret.com/1996/6/9/19247481/lotus-seed-sprouts-after-sleeping-1-200-years/