CONSIDER THE POLLEN
by Julie Lavender
Some of my friends up north are walking in the snow, but
down here in the deep south, I’m crunching through the pollen on my walk with
God.
Pollen can be an allergy sufferer’s nightmare, but the
powdery substance is vital for plant reproduction to produce seeds and fruit. Pollen
is typically yellow, brown, or white and is produced on the anthers, the male
part, of the flower.
Pollen fertilizes the plant through the process of
pollination, which, in simple terms, is the transfer of pollen from the male
anthers to the female pistil. From that pollination, fruit and seeds form.
What’s fascinating to me about pollen is the way God
ordained the transfer of it from one plant to another.
Light and dusty pollen
grains, like those found in the catkins of a pine tree, can become airborne and
blown in the wind for exceptionally long distances.
The second type of pollen, heavy and sticky as
classified by gardeners and scientists, is more difficult to transfer because
it’s too heavy to blow in the wind.
Uniquely, God designed insects to take care of that
pollination by carrying pollen from flower to flower, either stuck on their
bodies accidentally as they flit about to collect nectar, or deliberately
tucked into special pockets on their legs with the intention of delivering the
pollen back to the hive for later consumption.
Pollen is high in protein, and many insects dine on the
pollen for sustenance.
Some forage deep into the flower to get the sweet nectar
that’s usually found in the cup of the flower, and inadvertently collect pollen
on their bodies that way as they’re diving for nectar.
Flitting from flower to flower, the insects leave grains of pollen behind and fertilization occurs.
Isn’t God amazing? The dispersal of pollen is God’s
plan for new life.
I need to do my part
to carry the good news wherever I go, whether intentionally traveling somewhere
to deliver the message or accidentally leaving tidbits of good news by my
actions and words.
God’s world is so beautiful!
Did you learn something this week from one of God's beautiful creations? Will you share it with me below? I'd love to hear from you!
I learned a new perspective about how I should be thankful to God, even when my vehicles have turned yellow from God's abundance of pollen. Thank you for bringing a smile this morning Ms. Julie.
ReplyDeleteYes, Jim, it's hard for me to be grateful for pollen, but, it certainly has it's purposes! We've suffered with much congestion and coughing recently due to this powdery mess, but the beauty it affords in the long-run is certainly worth it!!!
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