The Zamioculcas Plant

# Lesson 21: The Zamioculcas Plant

"Add to your knowledge self-control..." - 2 Peter 1:6

Do you have a decorative plant called Zamioculcas? This plant is commonly seen in large shops. It has thick, very green leaves, and a stem that looks like a green ginseng root. It does flower, but it takes a very long time to bloom. I bought one to plant in a pot and place on my desk because I love having green leaves year-round. People say this plant is very easy to grow and doesn't require frequent care, which is why I decided to buy it—I was afraid I wouldn't have time to care for difficult plants like orchids! Though it's supposed to be easy to grow, for some reason after a while, the plant's leaves turned yellow and the older branches began to die. New branches did grow, but they weren't as healthy as the old ones. I thought perhaps it was too dark in my room, so I moved it to the dining room, but it continued to turn yellow. Today, while talking with my husband, I noticed another new branch turning yellow. I had to go back and get the instruction sheet that came with the pot to read about the plant again. That's when I discovered that I had been watering it far too much for nearly two years!

Some plants cannot tolerate excessive water and will die if overwatered. This reminded me that I need to practice self-control in life—"too much is never good"! Too much water and the plant may die; eat too much and a person may gradually waste away from illness; watch too much television and your eyes can deteriorate quickly and your heart can weaken; sleep too much and you may become lazy and lose mental sharpness; buy too many clothes and you'll run out of space and your bank debt may increase; work too much and you'll lose your health and become so exhausted that you cannot worship God. In 1 Timothy 6:8, the Apostle Paul advises that "if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that." We should not be greedy, but we must practice self-control and balance everything we do. Having more material possessions is not necessarily good! Self-control is the ninth fruit of the Spirit that we need to have (Galatians 5:22). Do not be infatuated with this world, for it can lead to withering and gradual death just like the Zamioculcas plant died from too much water! If we focus on the things of this world, we leave very little room for God. This will cause our spiritual lives to wither, to lose their vitality, and to bear no fruit of the Spirit! In his letter to Titus, the Apostle Paul advised everyone—both the elderly and the young—to practice self-control (Titus 2:2, 6). We must live with self-control from now on, while it is not yet too late! May the Lord remind us to practice self-control regarding the material things of this world, and may He help us always seek Him through a greater love of His Word so that we may display His Light to the world and stay far from sin! Amen!

*We must practice self-control, dear one,* *With measure and balance, life becomes better,* *Each day examine where you tread,* *Do not go too far and make excess a habit!* *All things in this world are fleeting and cold,* *A place of decay and gradual ruin!* *Only the Holy God remains eternal,* *The Giver of blessings more precious than this life!

—Ngoc-Huynh-Bich

Notes: Titus 2:2, "Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance." Titus 2:6, "Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled." *"Self-control" is mentioned 14 times in the New Testament (Vietnamese Bible Translation), and does not appear in the Old Testament.

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