“Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.”
A.A. Milne
If the guys on my dorm hallway at seminary had been the twelve disciples, then *Sean Fitzpatrick would have been Peter. Too say that ‘Surly Sean,’ as he was known, was rough around the edges is putting it kindly. Brash, quick tempered and occasionally foul-mouthed, he was far from the typical divinity student.
Sean looked like a shorter version of Tom Selleck, from the show Magnum P.I.–right down to the shorts and Hawaiian shirt. And just like the character on television, he was always ready with a playful insult.
I asked one of the other guys on the hall, “What’s with this dude?!” My friend told me that Sean came to seminary after his father died of a heart attack while they were on a hunting trip. The grieving young man was adrift, so his pastor suggested he come cross-country to attend seminary–thinking it might help the healing process. But Sean only lasted one semester; training to be a pastor was NOT his calling. This was no surprise to the rest of us.
Nevertheless, as I got to know my fractious neighbor, I realized he was a true brother in Christ who just happened to come from a different place than I did. Sean told me of growing up in Philadelphia, where Irish kids like him walked down the middle of the street to avoid being mugged. It was unimaginable, to a small town boy like me, who grew up where people seldom locked their doors.
We lost touch after he left seminary, but something told me Sean was back in Philly. So three years later, I looked him up. He was married and a recent father to a baby daughter. I reminded him that the last time we’d talked he insulted me. I won’t repeat what he said–this is a G-rated blog–but to him, these were terms of endearment. However, three years later, he couldn’t believe he’d talked to me like that! Clearly, Surly had sweetened. He even thanked me for being a good friend during a tough time in his life.
There are lots of ‘Seans’ out there, people who aren’t exactly like you or me, people who are hurting. And God loves them too. Remember one of the nicknames Jesus’ enemies gave Him? They called him a ‘Friend of Sinners’ (Matthew 7:43).
When Sean showed up at a seminary, he was like Zacchaeus in the Bible, up in a tree looking for Jesus. But most of us pious would be pastors avoided him, because we thought weeds aren’t really flowers. We were wrong.
For the son of man came to seek and save the lost.
Luke 19:10
*not his real name.
Davids Daily Dose 
Comments
20 responses to “Weeds Are Flowers Too”
You’re most welcome. And thank you for serving on the front lines for months and months—with no end in sight. God Bless you too, friend.
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Just want to thank you for the uplifting , kind words. God bless my friend.
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You’re welcome,Tina. Thank you for reading and commenting. Blessings!
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Thanks so much for sharing! This was really inspiring. I agree full heartedly that weeds are flowers too.
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Thank you for reading and commenting, Manette. God’s fingerprints are on every person. I like that thought, and it’s so true!
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Because all are created in the likeness and image of God, HIS fingerprints are on every other person we encounter. We just need to look a little deeper than the surface at times to see and admire the print. We become truly blessed, like you were with Sean, when we get to see the “new creation” or blossom God makes when we stick it through the harsh seasons.
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Thank you for your thoughts. We are ALL precious in God’s sight.
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So true. I was one of those weeds, God has allow me to bloom though. The wild flowers here in northern Mn. are beautiful. So many of them and they remind me of me, growing up in an abusive home, people made judgements of me cause I was a little rough. It was the only way to survive my home life. Great post.
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Very true. Thanks 🙏
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Thank you for your thoughts, Matcha. I’ve learned so much from the “Seans” God has allowed me to befriend. Blessings!
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Great post. It’s true that weeds can be flowers. I would say that they have the potential to become flowers, but in reality, it was in them all along. They just needed the right environment to nurture it.
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Thank you for reading and commenting. I always enjoy your perspective. One of my favorite sayings is, “Everyone matters if anyone matters at all.” We are ALL created in God’s image. Blessings to you, and please stay safe yourself!
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My friend, thanks for sharing this inspiring story of hope, faith and love. People are easy to look away & shut their doors and heart when things get uncomfortable, inconvenient, challenging. Patience is a virtue, Kindness & compassion is divine. I’m a weed myself, any sinful & broken person is, but God saw a flower in me, so I’m trying to bloom & bring the same joy to others . God bless always & stay safe. 🙏
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Very nice.
Sent from my iPhone
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You’re welcome, Chris. Your scripture verse goes perfectly with my post! I appreciate your thoughts. Have a blessed weekend.
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I love this so much! It reminds me of the scripture that says,”Man looks on the outside, but God looks at the heart.” If we could get past looking at people’s outside, we’d have the honor of being a friend of sinners too. It’s God’s kindness that leads people to repentance. I want to be a messenger of God’s kindness in this world. Thanks.
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Thank you, Manu. I always appreciate your insights. Blessings to you as well.
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Such a good post David. You make such a good point. We can be so quick to judge based on someone’s appearance or based on a snapshot of their behaviour at one point in time.
Where would we be if God would write us off like that.
We all are a work in progress.
I like that quote in the beginning that weeds are flowers too once you get to know them.
Blessings 😊.
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Thanks, Alan. It was humbling, to say the least, when I realized I’d almost written off someone because they were a little rough around the edges. The fact is, we all are—just in different ways. Blessings
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What a great post David. I can recognise some folk I know in Sean. It reminds me of a particular friend who was a real rough diamond, he always challenged my beliefs. I met him years later as a brother in Christ! Your post reminds us we must be careful and compassionate with those we meet in life, especially the hard to love! God bless you brother.
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