The Habit of Investing

My garden is a collection of native and non-native plants. One plant I have fallen in love with growing is native Canada Goldenrod. The bees love it because of the flowers and my girls love it because of its height. And no, it does not cause allergies this time of year...that is caused by ragweed--a far less showy plant.

This year I was surprised to find these bulges in my goldenrod.

They are galls caused by the goldenrod fly.

The goldenrod fly (aptly named) lays its egg in the stem, 

then the plant takes over from there. 

It provides everything the egg and larva need until it hatches as an adult fly.

 It provides shelter. It provides protection. It provides food. It provides a home. 

It didn't ask for this job, but it does it anyways.

It continues its growth and allows the "intruder" to continue to grow.

The irony is that long after it is has died out and dried out,

it still lives on in a way...through this little fly.

The following spring,

a small fly will eat its way through toward the galls edge

 and emerge ready to fly on its own.

Investing in people is like this sometimes. 

God places people in our lives that we didn't ask for 

and we may not want. 

But we need.

But He knows that through giving of ourselves to others, 

they will grow and so will we.

And after we are gone, 

our investment in them will live on.

What if when people come into our lives,

we take time to invest ourselves into their lives...

...not seeing the bother, but seeing the brother?

We may never see the end result, 

but we know the legacy will continue.

And some else will be ready

to fly,

too.