February 16, 2026
Appreciated Flowers
Proverbs 3:27 – “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.”
The funeral home lobby is packed wall-to-wall with flowers—elaborate arrangements of roses, lilies, orchids. Cards bearing heartfelt messages dangle from ribbons. Mourners file past the casket, whispering regrets: “I wish I’d told him how much he meant to me.” “I should have visited more often.” “She never knew how much I appreciated her.” The flowers are beautiful, the eulogies sincere, but the one person who might have treasured them most will never experience their comfort or beauty.
We have a strange habit of saving our best expressions of love and appreciation for moments when they can no longer be received. The glowing tribute comes at the retirement dinner, not during the decades of daily collaboration. The heartfelt letter arrives after the relationship has ended. The “I’m proud of you” waits until the achievement is distant history.
Scripture pushes against this tendency. “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” The time to acknowledge value, express gratitude, and demonstrate love is always now—not some future moment when death or distance has removed all opportunity for meaningful exchange.
When a woman anointed Jesus with expensive perfume, some objected to the “waste,” suggesting better uses for the resource. Jesus defended her: “She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial” (Mark 14:8). He valued her timely expression of devotion.
Children need affirmation while they’re still forming their identities. Spouses need to hear appreciation during the daily journey, not just at anniversaries. Colleagues deserve recognition while still working alongside us. The flowers mean more when they arrive in living hands, not resting on a casket.
Today’s Prayer: Father, help me overcome hesitation to express appreciation while it can still bring joy. Amen.
Reflection Question: Who in your life needs to receive “flowers” of appreciation from you today?