Wildflowers Week Four | Priscilla the Hollyhock Sample

Reaching Each and Every One

Hollyhocks attract hummingbirds. The brighter the color, the better, since hummingbirds don't have the greatest sense of smell. Flowers with a tubular shape like columbines, lupines, foxgloves, and hollyhocks also hold more nectar, making the birds' visits more fruitful. Their thin, long beaks fit perfectly into the deep pockets of the bloom.

Gardeners often grow hollyhocks in order to enjoy the graceful aerobatics of the hummingbird. Hummingbirds are capable of beating their wings up to eighty miles per second, which produces an audible humming noise to the human ear. I have often been startled by the whirling trill as they pass by.

Did you know that some hollyhocks come in double form, making their petals particularly frilly and producing twice the nectar? Perhaps that's what attracted Apollos to the dynamic duo of Priscilla and Aquila when he visited Ephesus. I like to picture him like a hummingbird flitting his way from Alexandria to this port city, going from boat to merchant shops to synagogues. This colorful couple seemed to attract this active man who was hungering for a deeper relationship with Christ. Priscilla and Aquila were there to nourish him with greater knowledge of the Way.

How do you attract others to the Lord? One way is with colorful speech. Paul encouraged us, "Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one" (Colossians 4:6). It's good to engage others in dynamic conversations about Jesus, giving them answers to their questions about the faith. Another way to entice others to Christianity is with a positive attitude, living hopefully in a world of negativity. Peter wrote, "Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you" (1 Peter 3:15). Let the world around you see your colors.

Read the verse below and answer the following questions:

"Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately" (Acts 18:24-26).

Practical Observation

1. Who came to Ephesus, and what was his background?

2. List the five things that describe this man.

Apollos was an impressive young man with incredible advantages. He was well-educated and well-spoken. Add to that, he possessed great passion. What a vibrant combination. After his time with this couple in Ephesus, he would return to Corinth to contend earnestly for the faith.

3. Where did he go? Why?

4. Who heard about him? What invitation did they make?

5. Describe the conversation these people had.

More accurately implies that Apollos had a great start on the path to Christianity but may not have had all the information yet. He was a disciple of John the Baptist and knew some details of Jesus' teaching, but not all. Aquila and Priscilla instructed him on what he lacked, a prime example of discipleship. We all need someone to enhance our walk with Jesus.

Personal Application

a. Apollos knew a lot about Christianity, but only up to the baptism of John. Likely his encounter with Aquila and Priscilla brought him knowledge unto salvation. Describe the day Jesus became your Lord and Savior.

b. Our couple invited Apollos into their home to share deeper knowledge of the Lord. Using the word HOUSE as an acrostic, describe some ways your home can be a place to encourage others:

House a Bible study for neighbors (example)

O

U

S

E

Home really is where the heart is. A Christian home reflects Christ to those who reside there and to those who enter in. Make sure that your house is a house of God. One way to do that is to pray with or for every person who visits. Another way is to play worship music throughout the day. "As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15).

When mother dear wore gingham frocks,

Her dollies grew in hollyhocks.

Here was a lady clad in silk,

There was another white as milk.

Dainty dolls in silken frocks,

Blooming on the hollyhocks!

Bowing low at every breeze;

Nodding to the bumble bees.

Darling dolls in dainty frocks

Blooming on the hollyhocks.

—Anonymous

How to Grow a Hollyhock

Hollyhocks are a classic cottage garden staple. Many of the most common varieties are biennials, meaning they complete their life cycle over two years. However, they are easy to propagate again by planting seeds from the dried buds in your garden.

• Light: Most hollyhocks love full sun, but some prefer part shade.

• Soil: Provide rich, moist, well-draining soil.

• Spacing: Sow at one-fourth inch deep and about two feet apart.

• Planting: Hollyhocks are easily started from seed indoors or out. Seeds can be sown directly outdoors about a week before the last frost.