Be the purple acorn

A lovely fall day tempted me to take a short walk this afternoon. I savored the warm sunshine and pristine blue sky as I strolled among towering oak trees. A soft fall breeze rustled leaves, not yet touched by fall colors, and my feet crunched through a layer of green and brown acorns covering the ground. I spied a purple acorn, so unique among the more common variety. As I reached for this unexpected treat, a thought raced through my mind, “Be the purple acorn.”

What? How does one be the purple acorn?

We’ve had a bumper crop of acorns this year, they pepper our metal roof with a steady rat-a-tat tat and form a carpet of crunch on the ground. Of course, our deer and squirrels delight in this blessing of nature. Squirrels collect and bury acorns in the ground, my flower pots, and beneath the mulch where summer flowers remain dry and listless. The fluffy tailed rodents wander on the porch searching for other depositories to store food for later winter consumption.

Deer forage regularly in our yard and I’m happy they currently devour acorns instead of my flowers.

In my many decades on the farm I’ve never seen a purple acorn, only green, tan, and various shades of brown (as they progress through their life cycle). But the one I discovered today was unique in its deep purple shade, quite lovely, in fact. A little investigation provided some information:

Purple acorns aren’t standard in oak trees (that’s probably why I haven’t seen one before) but may occur temporarily in their life cycle as a natural sunscreen during active growth stages. Since this summer gifted us with overwhelming heat and sunshine, I’m not surprised acorns needed sunscreen.

So why the voice in my head? “Be a purple acorn.”

It’s likely because I always seek lessons from nature.

• Purple acorns are unique.
• The purple acorn I chose is a lovely specimen.
• During their season of life, purple acorns stand out as being different.

How can we be a purple acorn?

Recognize that we are a unique creation of God.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:13- 14)

We are a chosen people, each unique and special to God.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness and into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

As believers, we stand out for being different, we are adopted in His love.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and his will. (Ephesians 1:4-5)

Do you find lessons in nature, too? If so, please share one.

We are created, unique, chosen, and loved–what an amazing blessing!