The Persistence of Peppermint

By Patty Wysong

““We are afflicted in
every way, but not
crushed; perplexed, but
not despairing; persecuted,
but not forsaken; struck
down but not destroyed;
always carrying about in
the body the dying of Jesus,
that the life of Jesus also
may be manifested in our
body.”
2 Corinthians 4:8-9.

utside my back door, beside my chimney, lives a peppermint plant that has withstood many attacks. It has lived through weed-pullings, being stomped on by five children, and weed whackings—and that's not counting the ash and creosote that has leached out the chimney through the years.

After each assault, the peppermint grows back as big and as beautiful as ever. My husband considers the peppermint plant a nuisance because it is not where it's supposed to be, but secretly I love it because of where it is. In past years it has amazed me with its persistence, but never more than last month.

After an ice storm, I went out with my camera in an attempt to keep my mother happy by providing her with pictures of her grandkids. An icicle lured me around the back corner of the house, but I quickly lost interest in that when I spotted the bit of green encased in ice. It was my peppermint plant.

Pushing up through last year's dead leaves and stems was a perfectly formed baby peppermint sprig. It had grown and was flourishing in spite of winter. I was in awe as I hunched down there, studying it.

We're to be like that peppermint plant: persistently getting up when we're knocked down, growing and blooming when the conditions seem to be against us. By getting up when we're knocked down and blooming after we've been pruned, we bring glory to God. Jesus is manifested in our lives when we grow through difficult, even impossible, situations.

Paul says it well in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”

That little peppermint sprig was encased in ice, but it was beautiful in its crystal coating. Even in the midst of great adversity it was glorifying God and it reminded me, inspired me, to persistently live and shine for Him so that others might see Christ in me.