A remarkable fact about the sunflower is that when it is in the bud stage it faces the sun. This is a phenomenon called heliotropism. In the morning, the bud faces the east. As the sun swings in its orbit across the heavens, the sunflower bud turns with it gradually, until, late in the afternoon, it is facing due west to absorb the few last rays of the dying sun. Sometime before the sun comes back up the next morning, the bud turns completely back to start the process all over again. In other words, it is just drenched with sun-vitality. Perhaps that is the reason it wards off the diseases which plague other plants. Once the flower opens into the radiance of yellow petals, it faces east. It is likely a defensive response, as facing south or west could result in sun-scalding of seeds during very hot days.

"The Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee" (Psalm 84:11,12).

As the sun is to the sunflower, so is the Son of God to the Christian. The sunflower lives up to its name. We who take the Name of Christian should ever be true to that blessed Name. Let us learn from this remarkable plant of God's creation the secrets of successfully living to the glory of God in a world that has rejected Him. How simply this flower puts the terms of discipleship before our hearts. To be a disciple of Christ is to follow Him. Remember the words of our Lord Jesus, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23).

This is the phenomenon called new birth (2 Corinthians 5:17). It causes a Christian to look to Jesus as Lord each and every day, following Him from sunup to sundown, being drenched with His love, grace and truth. The things of this earth grow dim to the one who "seeks those things which are above" (Colossians 3:1,2). He is able to "lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset" by "Looking unto Jesus" (Hebrews 12:1,2). Thus he brings honor to the Name of Christ and blessing to others.

As the sunflower ever turning,
   To the mighty sun
With faithfulness and fidelity,
   Following only one—
So make me, Lord, to Thee.