Saturday, June 6, 2015

More Than Just a Tree

As I go for my walks around town, I love to stop and enjoy the beauty of God's creation.  Time and time again He takes my breath away with all that He has created.  The flowers, the trees, the animals, and even the people all reflect the glory of God.  My Father God loves to speak to me through His creation.

There is one particular tree that really has caught my attention.  You see, this tree tells me a story.  



It is more than just one tree, but when you look at it, that is what it seems to be, just one tree.  These two little seedlings grew side by side, and as they grew and shared the same space, they became intertwined with one another. If you look closely, as the branches grew, their close proximity resulted in a shaping of the branches, a shaping that would not have occurred had they been planted further apart.  The branches had to adapt to the space in order to grow and reach their full potential.  

Isn't that the way we are as human beings?  We have people who are planted in our path; for good or for bad, they are there, shaping us and helping us to become more like the person we were meant to be.  So often we think that we need to be independent, that we can do it on our own, it is a pride thing. "I don't need anyone." Sometimes the opposite occurs, we become too dependent, "I can't do this, I need someone to do it for me."  In reality, we need one another.

In Romans Paul says, "In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t."  (Romans 12:4-6a - The Message)

On one end of the spectrum is independence, on the other end of the spectrum is dependence, and I choose what is in the middle, interdependence.  We can all use our gifts, talents and abilities to hold each other up.  You are not better than me, and I am not better than you, we were created differently so that we could each play our part in the story of life, each one growing, shaped by others planted in our lives. Together we can do amazing things, if only we will allow it.

Every time I pass by this tree I smile and know that I am not alone, I was never meant to be. I don't have all the answers, but then again I don't know all the questions either.  I am blessed to have some amazing family and friends who Father God has planted in my path, people who will speak truth into my life when I need it, people who see me for who I am and value me as that person, people who will make me laugh, people who pray for and encourage me, and people who challenge me to grow.  I am grateful for each and every one of them, and I am blessed to call them my family and friends. 

Every time I pass by the corner where this particular  tree lives, I am grateful for the life lesson. It is more than just a tree to me.