05/17/2026
In Robert Frostâs âThe Tuft of Flowers,â he paints a rural scene of a man setting out to complete farm duties. Another man, a co-laborer, had mowed the grass earlier in the day, but when the speaker in the poem surveys the work, he sees a butterfly drifting nearby and wonders why it is looking for flowers among freshly cut grass. Thatâs when he notices itâtufts of flowers that were left untouched by the scythe. As Frost wrote: âI left my place to know them by their name / Finding them butterfly w**d when I came. / The mower in the dew had loved them thus, / By leaving them to flourish, not for us, / Nor yet to draw one thought of ours to him. But from sheer morning gladness at the brimâ
In this patch is an unexpected beauty, milkw**d plants that made the other man pause in his morning duties to admire their glory, and which remind the speaker he is not alone in his work. There are other kindred spirits working alongside him, even if not at the same time.
Many of Frostâs poems capture this sense of hidden beauty among the wild growth of nature. Wildflowers grow unnoticed until seen by a surprised onlooker. In another poem, âRose Pogonias,â workers are halted in their mowing when they happen upon orchids growing in a meadow. Both poems capture the sense of wonder that comes from observing the fruits of nature, even when they grow wildly out of sight.
Jesusâ parable likewise draws upon the beauty of wildflowers. He turns the audience's attention to the lilies of the field and how they grow without any additional striving. God, in His kindness and wisdom, has adorned the grasses of the field in this way, providing lovely clothing to nature. His words echo what He said earlier about the birds of the air, who do not store up food for the future yet are still fed (Matthew 6:26-27). âAnd why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?â - Matthew 6:28-30, ESV
Jesus used these examples to remind us of practical spiritual truths. God clothes the fields and feeds the birds, so why do we worry incessantly about these parts of life? Our anxiety could be eased if we paused to notice the wonders around us, especially those hidden beauties of daily life that teach us valuable lessons about the Lordâs caring provision. The Apostle Paul even included the examples of normal events, like rain showers or harvests, when mentioning the Creatorâs care (Acts 14:17). Around us is a world of reminders of Godâs love; yet, too often, we turn a blind eye to their testimony.
What might happen if we started to pause and consider the hidden wonders around us? Perhaps we will heed Jesusâ advice and stop worrying about everyday necessities. Then, we could walk more steadily by setting the Kingdom of God as the first priority in our lives, all because of the testimony of a growing flower, chirping bird, or rainy day. (From Crosswalk Devotional Your Daily Prayer) Author Sophia Brickerâs mission is to help others grow in relationship with Jesus through thoughtful articles, devotionals, and stories. You can visit her discipleship-based site âCultivate,â
where she writes with her sister or read her Substack âThe Cross, a Pen, and a Page.â
But he had gone his way, the grass all mown, And I must be, as he had been,âalone, âAs all must be,â I said within my heart, âWhether they work togetherâŚ
