Improbable Growth
I planted, Apollos watered, but God made it grow. Because of this, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but the only one who is anything is God who makes it grow. – 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (CEB)
This hotel has a peculiar shower setup. The solid glass between the shower and the rest of the bathroom is an unmoving wall that extends over half the length of the shower so there’s room to walk into the back end. Inside the shower, tiles cover the floor and the three non-glass walls. A wide rectangular grate is cut into the floor tiles below the showerhead. From the sounds and the science of it, the drain is in there somewhere.
On my third morning in the hotel, I noticed five thin unrecognizable somethings sticking up from different spots along the grate. My active imagination took me everywhere from misused technology to an alien invasion. Disregarding caution, I ventured back into the shower to get a closer look.
Plants! Five sproutlings emerging from the obscured shower drain region, completely impervious to the hot shower I took moments ago and every day before. A real miracle as not a single ray of sun reaches this enclosed bathroom. No soil either, though I didn’t lift the grate to investigate further.
If you’re the unsuspecting gardener, keep showing up! Tending to your own wellness may provide possibilities for others to sustain theirs.
If you’re the resilient plant thriving under impossible circumstances, you’re not alone! Your very existence is the best evidence of a loving God.
Whoever you are beyond this short tale, know that God is yet making growth a reality, surpassing our most active imaginations.
Prayer
For the implausible miracles of life and growth in a death-dealing world, we thank you.
About the AuthorThe Rev. Phiwa Langeni is the Ambassador for Innovation & Engagement of the United Church of Christ. They are also the Founder of Salus Center, the only LGBTQ resource and community center in Lansing, MI.