Beautiful flowers with sweet smells are usually enjoyed by both young and old. However, there are a few exceptions, and the water hyacinth is one. It’s true that it has a cluster of beautiful lavender flowers growing on a strong stem with green curly leaves. But we will see how its beauty was the cause of a big problem.
Originally a native of South America, travelers found it so attractive that many carried plants back to their homes in countries all over the world. They could easily carry it since it is a floating plant and its roots need no soil. Anyone could pick out a small plant with short roots and put it in a jar or plastic bag with enough water to keep it alive until it could be placed in a pond or pool at home. No doubt they were extremely pleased to see how quickly the plants multiplied in their garden pools... until they discovered they had a real problem on their hands.
And that’s the very reason why many people don’t like this pretty plant. It grows and multiplies so quickly that it soon takes over a garden pool, choking out other water plants. Just ten of these plants will, in less than a year, multiply into thousands, until the water cannot be seen. And if the pool is connected to a stream, some of the hyacinths will drift into it and start new groups along the way, with some drifting on into a lake. If not soon destroyed, even a large lake can become completely covered so that a boat cannot get through. Then these plants have to be pulled out and hauled away at great cost.
But, in spite of this, many people today like this flower and spend great sums of money to keep it, because its roots live on the impurities in the water, like chemicals and other harmful matter that dissolve in water and make it unfit for drinking or for use in swimming pools or in manufacturing.
When this bad water reaches the plants the impurities are taken out by the roots. This saves some of the expense of getting rid of the impurities some other way. However, removing the plants costs lots of money too, for workers have to continually get into these pools or lakes on rafts or boats to thin them out. But still the hyacinths and their problems are less costly than other water-purifying methods.
These lovely looking plants which can cause so much trouble make us think of bad habits that at first may seem harmless, but which can lead to serious trouble if they are not stopped. A Bible verse tells us: “Happy is the man that feareth [honors the Lord] always: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.” Proverbs 28:1414Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. (Proverbs 28:14). The Lord Jesus wants us to confess our sins right away, and when we sincerely do this and trust in Him, He will forgive us. Be sure to remember this.
October 6, 1991
ML-10/06/1991