What can Canna Indica teach us on identity and personal growth?

What are the chances that two friends in separate countries would coincidentally send you a picture of the same flower they encountered during a hike? Just recently, two friends—one in England and the other in Poland—sent me a photo of Canna Indica. Discovering the traits of this flower taught me valuable lessons about identity, purpose, and creating the right environment for growth.

Canna Indica symbolizes beauty, vulnerability, and the subtle strength of God, who nurtures and upholds His creation by offering the ideal conditions for growth. As you walk past Canna Indica in a botanical park or in nature, you might overlook the multitude of diverse qualities this plant offers. This plant holds more than just beauty. Indeed, by exploring this plant, you may uncover insights into who God intended you to be in His garden of Eden.

Canna Indica is typically found in swamps, at the edges of wetlands, and in other moist environments. The common name 'Indian Shot' refers to its black, hard seeds, which resemble the bullets used in 18th and 19th-century shotguns. These seeds are sometimes used to create jewelry, such as bracelets and earrings, while its leaves can be utilized to produce purple dyes and brown paper. In some countries, the leaves have been used for roofing, wrapping babies, and wrapping food. The smoke from burning canna leaves acts as an insecticide. 

Throughout history, plants have played a crucial role in advancing medicinal treatments, providing a diverse range of compounds for therapeutic development. Canna Indica has a history of being utilized to treat ailments such as inflammation, malaria, dysentery, and fever. It is acknowledged for its medicinal advantages in many countries. 

Thriving in well-nurtured environments, individuals that resemble Canna Indica develop into people who offer diverse value to their surroundings. Their words provide nourishment, their actions create distinctive expressions of God’s love, and their presence often brings healing to those who are hurt and broken. 

Canna Indica seeds (words) act like bullets that can break through the tough ground of a culture filled with gossip, shaming, and blaming. Perhaps you were created to be God’s Canna Indica in the toxic environment, designed to sow seeds of healing, nourishment, and love. Your words have the power to plant seeds of healing and nourishment, and to cultivate other Canna Indicas in a culture dominated by gossip, shaming, and blaming. 

You can create numerous possibilities even in challenging circumstances by placing yourself in conditions that enable you to become the unique individual God intended you to be. One of the key principles for personal growth and thriving is to consistently water (cleanse) your heart and mind with the Word of God. What can you do today to foster better conditions for your personal growth and flourishing, resembling Canna Indica?

“I will always show you where to go. I'll give you a full life in the emptiest of places - firm muscles, strong bones. You'll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry. You'll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past. You'll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again.” - Isaiah 58:11-12 MSG