Job 8:12

While yet in blossom, not ready to cut,

   Before other plants, it withers.

(Written 5/13, Posted ?)

This verse almost says nothing without the context of the prior or following verse. It talks about the papyrus reed and its need for water. It leads to a discussion of how people need relationship with God. But neither are contained within the verse.

 “Blossom” was also translated as “flower”. “growing”, “green”, and “tender”. I’m no horticulturist, but I felt “blossom” seemed prettier. “Not ready to cut” was also “not cut down”, “uncut”, and “not yet plucked”. I picked the “not ready” as people cut and pluck for no reason.

“Other plants” was also “Other herb” or “other grass”. There was also an element that implied grass withered really quickly, so that the reed withering faster than grass was abnormal. I went with simplicity.

One of the many things being forgotten is how to live off the land: what plants are good to eat, how to do first aid without a medical degree, how to survive amongst all the bugs and animals willing to eat you, etc. Before technology came along, these were the things people passed on to their kids. The baby animal may be cute, but the momma sure isn’t going to appreciate you being near one. I never took any biology or animal science and know nothing of reeds and grass and wither rates, but I can understand this example of how critical water is to a plant.

These simple examples are how God choses to teach us about Himself if we will only talk time to read and understand. It would be kinda cool if someone had a list of ideas to learn in order of how easy they were to learn. But since everyone is different, God gave us the Holy Spirit to guide our days and we just have to follow.