The flower-of-the-hour grew happily at the side of the strawberry patch in my garden. Its buds began to swell as it joyfully prepared to show its beautiful white and red flowers.

But, then, a lawnmower came roaring down upon it. The buds were gone and the plant stood as only a fraction of its former self.

Undaunted, it spread its branches and again grew to size. Its buds began to swell as it joyfully prepared to show its beautiful white and red flowers.

But, once again, a lawnmower came roaring down upon it. Once again it barely stood, a fraction of its former self.

This time, it did not spread its branches. This time it did not grow to the height of its former self or like others of its kind. Instead, it grew its buds to prepare to show its beautiful white and red flowers.

But, a third time, a lawnmower came roaring down upon it. After the cutting monster passed by the flower-of-the-hour was barely visible.

The next day, however, a beautiful white and red flower could be seen at the spot where the once bushy plant had stood. And then another appeared.

But a fourth time a lawnmower came roaring down upon it. After it had passed the flower-of-the-hour remained unchanged. The foliage was barely visible, Yet beside the strawberry patch a display of beautiful white and red flowers was clearly visible against the drab shades of the garden.

“In every way we’re troubled, but we aren’t crushed by our troubles. We’re frustrated, but we don’t give up. We’re persecuted, but we’re not abandoned. We’re captured, but we’re not killed. We always carry around the death of Jesus in our bodies so that the life of Jesus is also shown in our bodies” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10 God’s Word©).