Magazine for April 2009
TREE TALK
Recently in the park I came across two trees in full blossom. I noticed that one had a slightly warped trunk and had lost a branch or two over the years; nevertheless, it stood tall and was strong and healthy.
The other tree was new and was still propped up with support strings and stakes. There was a protective layer of fertilizer, piled over the roots, protecting the tenderness and the vulnerability of this young life. Although there were only a few branches on this tree, it too was tall, and was producing exactly the same blossom as the older and greater tree.
It occurred to me that, as Christians, we resemble these trees very much. Some of us are mature Christians, weathered by storms and with our share of branches torn away. But our roots are strong and we are able to withstand adversities.
As strong Christian ‘trees’, we need to come alongside the young, tender new trees and help them to grow in the Lord. To support them in prayer, teaching, and friendship (like the stakes and string, helping the young budding tree). To feed them with the goodness of the Word of God and the love of Christ (like the fertilizer). And to encourage them to seek the sunlight and to let this light produce a greater faithfulness in our Lord.
This is God’s plan for us. Whether we are mature in Christ or new baby Christians, we need to stand together and encourage each other daily to grow, mature, learn, seek and, of course, to blossom.
Those trees reminded me of Lamentations 3:22-23:
“Your compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is your faithfulness”.
H. R. Pearce