Roses are red, violets are blue, but the rose has long been considered as the most beautiful of all flowers. Their velvet-like appearance and fragrant aroma have entranced many through the years. We give them as gifts and use them to enhance the beauty of our homes. We should all be thankful we have such a beautiful gift from our gracious God and Creator.

But, they have thorns! You cannot hold one or work around them without realizing the necessity of being careful for the thorns. They are sharp and prick quickly. Despite this, we continue to grow them, carefully holding and admiring them, because their beauty outweighs their unpleasantness.

Think for a moment! We can we not view each other that way? We can be more forgiving and understanding (Ephesians 4:31-32). Why can we not view the events and circumstances of our lives that way? We can learn to take the good with the bad, knowing that all of it can teach great life lessons (Ecclesiastes 7:14). I am not perfect, and neither are you. Life’s circumstances are not perfect either. So, let us learn, with admiring love, to hold each other and life’s events carefully. There is a time appointed by God for everything — use it all for His glory (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

Adapted from Ronny E. Hinds