The Exquisite Indian Paintbrush

Spotting an Indian Paintbrush

                Late in May, when checking cattle in the northwest quadrant of Mother’s place, I noticed something red – bright red is unusual in the pasture. Having counted the cattle, I advanced toward the vibrantly-colored object. It was a plant.

The first Indian Paintbrush I sighted in Mother's Pasture.

This plant is the state wild flower of Wyoming. 

                Almost anytime I spot a “pretty flower” in the pasture, I am taken back to walks with Dad. Our Sunday ritual, after returning from church, often found us walking the pasture to check whatever he needed to evaluate. Mother and Grandma would be in the kitchen preparing the mashed potatoes, brown roast gravy, and vegetables to accent the beef roast that had simmered while at church. Our pasture walks accomplished Dad’s two goals - he got his livestock checking done before lunch and entertained an active, little girl. With this done, he could take a Sunday afternoon nap following lunch.

Soon after we had moved to the place that had been bought by my parents, Dad and I, a little-five-year-old, trekked through the pasture each Sunday afternoon prior to lunch. In the spring and summer, he and I looked for the pretty blooms of the wild flowers. Occasionally, he would take out his pocketknife and cut one of the blossoms for me to carry back to the house.

Yet on the recent May morning, well over 50 years later, there was a gorgeous plant blooming that I had never seen. I could hardly wait to get to my book of the wild flowers of Oklahoma to verify this wild wonder.

Later, when driving back to the house, my mind wandered to a verse that I have prayed innumerable times. This longest chapter of the Bible is comprised of one beautiful prayer after another on the topic of God’s word in its 176 verses. Psalm 119:18, requests, Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.

Immediately, I questioned, Do I really get more excited about the great promises and principles of God’s Word. Or Do other things bring me more happiness and enjoyment than reading the Bible? How often does the latest catalog- online or otherwise  of clothing, hunting gear, beauty products, car accessories, or 1,001 other hobbies or interests that “trip our trigger” mean more than our daily time of reading His Word?

Then I opened the Scriptures to Psalm 119.* These verses convicted me of my failure to revere, treasure, and cherish the Word of God.

I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. – verse 14

Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors. – verse 24

I cling to Your testimonies; O Lord, do not put me to shame. – verse 31

Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it. – verse 35

Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. – verse 54

The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver. – verse 72

Let Your tender mercies come to me that I may live; For Your law is my delight. – verse 77

How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! – verse 103

Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart. – verse 111

Therefore I love Your commandments More than gold, yes, than fine gold! – verse 127

I rejoice at Your word as one who finds great treasure. – verse 162

That evening, I read Psalm 119 before I fell asleep, but I awoke the following morning with a heaviness over multiple issues – home and farm maintenance, health of loved ones and farm animals, and 99 other concerns. I needed God’s Word. I opened my Bible to Matthew 11:28-30 and read the verses Mother had memorized during Dad’s illness. I ingested these words of Jesus– Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Needing to dig deeper into these three verses, I reached for an older book on the shelf. The book was Studies in Matthew – The King and the Kingdom written by Roland Q. Leavell. A musty smell emitted from the 55-year-old book with my grandfather’s name, Calvin Smith and the date, Jan. 1, 1963.

Grandpa had used it for the week-long annual January Bible study that our church used to have. (That was the beginning of John Kennedy’s third year in the presidency. Grandpa nor anyone else could have foreseen their president would be assassinated before the year’s end.)

In the portion of the book dealing with the Matthew 11:28-30, Grandpa had underlined this sentence - To take his yoke means to enter his school and become a learner in the way of superior, heavenly living.

Each day we have an opportunity to learn from Him, by seeing wondrous things from His Word, and be relieved of burdens weighing us down. Just as I spotted the beauty of the Indian Paintbrush in the pasture, we can daily find in the Bible wonderful truths of wisdom and empowerment to direct us in the way of superior, heavenly living, enabling us to positively impact our world.

*Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, is organized in 22 sections to coincide with the order of the Hebrew alphabet characters.