I've always liked plants; I even worked for a while at a flower shop during college. However, I was never very dedicated to my own plants, perhaps more due to lack of time than lack of desire. In recent years, though, I discovered the famous "succulents" and, as they say, fell in love with them!

Ten years ago, I received my first succulent, but for many years I didn't know about other species until two years ago when I visited some friends and saw the immense variety of sizes and shapes that exist. My interest then grew, and little by little I acquired more and more varieties, and now I confess it has become a hobby. I have over 20 species and care for them with great affection.

It is believed that there are over 20,000 species of succulents in the world. They originally came from the arid climates of Africa and America. Their colors range from shades of green, yellow, pink, red, purple, and even blue. Most succulents do not have leaves, but rather stems or stalks, and occasionally produce flowers.

As I learn to care for my succulents, I've learned countless spiritual lessons that can be applied to my Christian walk. I'd like to share some of them with you.

Succulents need at least four hours of natural light daily. A very interesting fact is that they change color depending on the amount of light they receive. Typically, the more light they receive, the more colorful they become. Similarly, we need Jesus, the light of the world. The closer we are to Him, the more colorful our lives become, and everything feels more joyful.

Succulents are fleshy plants that have the ability to absorb and store water in their leaves, stems, trunks, and roots, which protects them from high temperatures and arid climates. In the Bible, Jesus is compared to the water of life. When we drink of the water that is Jesus and store Him in our hearts, we are able to overcome the arid climates and problems we face in life. Due to this ability to store water, succulents are resilient plants and therefore require little maintenance. As Christians, we can also become more resistant to sin each day by storing Jesus, the Water of Life, in our hearts.

Perhaps one of the characteristics I appreciate most about succulents is their ability to reproduce easily. I particularly enjoy preparing small cuttings and sharing them with my neighbors and friends. Most species can be reproduced simply by taking a small stem and placing it in contact with the soil. In a few days, a small sprout emerges, and a new plant begins. As Christians, we should be the same. Every word we speak and every action we take should be so full of Christ that when we come into contact with others, we leave a piece of Him with them.

May God help us to always learn more through the beautiful lessons of nature. May each of us become more like small succulents every day, always filled with Jesus, the water of life, resisting trials, and above all, drawing people to Christ so that they too may fall in love with Him.

Rute Bazan

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