Reliable

I was reading a social media post this morning about reliable indicators of Spring written by someone I follow in the Burren of western Ireland. She wrote about gentians, primroses, violets and cowslips, and how gentians are the only reliable indicator. Primroses might show up in the middle of January in a snowstorm, heralding Spring. Violets are often mistaken for shadows since they are tiny and often hidden away. Cowslips are ‘fraidy cats who wait for summer picnic weather to truly show up. “Oh no, it might be chilly! We’ll wait.”

But when you see the gentians, it is Spring. Gentians are the turning point of the year from Winter to Spring.

Her post made me think about reliable indicators and how rare they are. The things – or people – we can rely upon and trust. How often Jesus warns us to be careful about where we put our trust and how we interpret the signs given us by a frantic and fearful society.

Made me reflect. Too often I give knee-jerk validity to false prophets, false teachers, unreliable indicators, especially of God’s love. I am His Beloved. There are reliable indicators of that all around.