Tuesday, June 4th, 2024
Recently my husband and I were walking around our property admittedly wishing we had more time to better manage the land. There are plenty of downed trees that need to be turned into firewood, land that needs to be cleared and gardens that need work. One of the plants that we have unfortunately become quite familiar with over the seven years that we have been here is Oriental Bittersweet. It is classified as a non-native, invasive species. Not only does it grow rapidly, but its way of competing with other vegetation is by wrapping its vines around them and literally suffocating them as they are being pulled to the ground.
Oddly enough, this plant was and is still sold as an ornamental. It makes red berries covered in an orange paper-like wrapping that some people like to decorate with. A small benefit for an incredible amount of destruction. Unfortunately for this property, my grandparents bought one of these plants back in the early 2000s that they wanted to climb up a tee-pee they had constructed. I still have quite a few pictures of the bittersweet’s early days. One of the pictures shows my grandfather being dwarfed by a plant that is 5 or 6 times his size. That plant has now spread to all the borders of our yard and has no intention of stopping.
Most recently, the spiritual side of all of this hit me deeper than usual. The purchase of one plant that wasn’t correctly labeled or understood has turned into an almost impossible situation to control. Each and every one of us, and those in our family lines going all the way back to Adam and Eve has had and will continue to have numerous opportunities to purchase spiritually invasive plants that could affect generations to come. It’s one of those things that we may not like to think about, but it doesn’t make it any less true.
This isn’t meant to be a condemnation or finger pointing exercise. Jesus’ blood covers all sins, no matter the level of invasiveness. I hear God wanting to remind us to use the authority we have been given to break off generational curses from those that have come before us. And ensure that we are not planting any invasive species that the generations after us will have to deal with. The power of life and death truly is in our tongue. No matter what was done before us or by us, we can choose to come under the weight of it or we can pull down these curses, put them under the blood and faith-walk forward in the power of the cross.
Final Thoughts…
When I think about the fact that my choices and my words will affect many generations to come, it really makes me choose them carefully. Life really isn’t just about me living for myself and making the most of my time on this earth. It truly is about laying up an inheritance for our children and their children and on and on. I have made it my mission in this life to create a life for my children that is different than the one I had growing up. I don’t want them on the same up and down roller-coaster rides. I don’t want their feet stuck in the same traps. Whatever curses or sins God shows me I sever them once and for all so that my children can walk in the path God has for them every day. I want to leave them blessings and not curses, life and not death.