"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...", oh wait that's another story, but actually it fits for my purposes today. This past March brought with it some delightfully warm days, days so warm that the trees were fooled into thinking that spring was here and it was safe to blossom. Unfortunately along with those beautiful days came the typical March nights, cold and frosty. It was sad to see the end result of the frost, the death of the blossoms.
It is the end of May now and the cold frosty nights of March are long behind us. There is a beautiful magnolia tree in my front yard that is covered with lush green leaves. You would never know the damage the cold had brought just a few short months ago. But this morning, as I was out for my walk I noticed another magnolia tree; one that has been absolutely beautiful the last couple of years. The harsh cold nights of March were not kind to this magnolia tree, and for some reason, although the blossoms died, they failed to fall leaving this tree to continue to bear the evidence of the frost. The lush green leaves are trying to come, but they are overshadowed by the dark brown flowers still hanging on.
The difference between the two trees is one of protection. The tree in my front yard is next to the house with a western exposure. The tree on my walk is away from the house, near the sidewalk on the north side of the house.
The two magnolias remind me of us as human beings. Sometimes we go it alone through the cold dark times we face, and sometimes we surround ourselves with people who are there to support us, people who we know will have our back. If we surround ourselves with the right kind of friends, friends we know we can count on, friends who will be there, truly be there through it, then the after effects of the harshness of life will be lessened. If we choose to walk this road alone, we face the possibility of bearing the scars of the darkness for a very long time, long after spring has arrived.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says, "Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."
So who do you surround yourself with? Do you have people in your life who help you walk this road, who point you in the right direction? Or are you walking this road alone? Sometimes it is difficult to admit that we can't do it alone, but we were never meant to do it alone. Trusting others can be difficult, especially if we have been hurt in the past, but the result of trusting the right people can bring life back to our lives.
I know that I have been amazingly blessed by some very special people that God has planted in my life, key people who have been there at just the right time. I think you know who you are. Thank you for loving me for who I am.
Just one more thing, but the most important thing of all. God always wants to be there for you. He loves you and just wants a relationship with you. He is waiting. Are you ready?
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