White Peacock butterflies are beautiful. Rather small, flitting close to the ground, they stay near damp areas where their host plants grow. Caterpillars of this species eat several plants; water hyssop, frog fruit, plantain, and green shrimp are a few of their host plants.
While growing water hyssop for these butterflies, we often propagate new plants for the females to lay eggs upon. The plants are started in four inch pots in the greenhouse. As soon as they grow roots, they're fertilized. Well, most are fertilized! Every now and then one of the pots are skipped when we add fertilizer to the pots.
Both of these plants were started the same day. It's easy to see which plant was fertilized and which wasn't fertilized. Without proper nutrients, they sure will not grow as well or as healthy. If someone didn't know what a healthy water hyssop plant looks like, they may not realized that one is malnourished. Yet next to a healthy plant, anyone can see which onet hasn't had the proper nutrients and stands out like a sore thumb.
Things like this remind us how important proper nutrients are for life. Customers and caterpillars both should have the plant on the left, not the plant on the right. Yet both customers and caterpillars would rather have the plant on the right rather than no plant at all! We all tend to settle for less than perfect when we don't see or cannot obtain what is perfect.
It makes me stop and wonder; where am I settling for 'less than the best'?
This also makes me wonder whether or not I (and others who *appear* healthy) are properly fertilized. Our nutrients come from God, as you know. There are times when I feel okay...good enough, anyway. But oh! how much healthier and happier I am when I'm reading, studying and meditating on God's word. Thanks for the reminder.
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