We know a family who planted a nondescript vine they were told would help attract butterflies, not even realizing it flowered. Placed behind a row of flowering hibiscus, it threatened to be a nuisance, however, sending its feelers over the neighboring plants and threatening to overrun them.

They unwound the feelers and tucked the growing branches of the nuisance plant in and behind a trellis, hard against a palmetto tree: In essence, out of the way (and nearly completely out of sight).

The other day the wife, who has a real love for flowers, happened to spot something purple hidden behind the leaves.

To her shock, she saw this:

Hidden behind the leaves and trellis was an intricate, exquisite flower, one they’d never seen before, the most beautiful flower on their property (exceeding those of the lilies and hibiscus). It is called the purple passion flower.

The plant was no longer “nondescript,” and no longer was it only for butterflies.

It is the way of God:

Hidden things.

In life some of our greatest joys, our greatest triumphs, the most intense goodness, the deepest relationships, most tender moments, and our most soaring triumphs are where and when we don’t expect them, God’s Way of showing us beauty at the furthest corners of existence and (with His touch) in anything.

Imagine: a corner of your garden gathers His attention as much as a galaxy (which He also fashioned and to Him is also a small thing).

God the Creator of Heaven and earth knows how hard life on earth is. He watches as we labor, fret, struggle, as we fight, and He often comes through in ways we never would have anticipated. Makes it interesting, doesn’t it?

We can only imagine how He smiles when we smile, how much joy He feels when we are joyous. How much He also shares our hardships and moments of despair.

He knows that when we strive despite pain and disappointment, great joy greets us at the end of life.

Joy unfolds like a flower.

Never think the nondescript isn’t capable of beauty. Don’t shove anything He has made away. Cherish all of His Creation. Expect the unexpected.

In this way we find not just joy but the excitement of knowing that around any corner or behind anything we approach — and in anyone we know or meet — could always be a beautiful surprise.