"Taught by a Tree"

“Taught by a Tree”

(This was written as a “Pastoral Ponderings” about 45 years ago while at our first church in Gorham NY. This year two September storms {Dorian and Humberto} brought some brisk winds to Lakeland but by God’s grace we were spared from any significant impact. {Many others weren’t as blessed so we continue to pray for those affected.} The gusty conditions reminded me of these long-forgotten words and God led me to bring them back from dormancy. The only changes from the original essay {aside from correcting a typo or two} were the title and using the NIV rather than the KJV for the Scripture quotes.)

The other day I was sitting in my study thinking of what to write for my next article. It happened to be a windy and rainy day so I glanced out the window to see what the sky looked like. I saw a tree a short distance away which was moving with the breeze, but when the wind stopped for a moment I noticed that the tree was bent from the west because that’s the direction from which the wind usually comes.

All at once it struck me that that tree was a picture of many Christians: they lean with the wind no matter where it comes from but bend with the most constant pressure. Paul warns his readers in Ephesians 4:14 to “…no longer be infants…blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of (people) in their deceitful scheming.” Let’s face it, friends—false teaching keeps hammering away seeking to envelop us into its system and get us to turn our backs on the truth of God’s Word. It’s only as we have a firm foundation in the Scriptures that we can withstand such pressures. Again we turn to the words of the Apostle Paul: “…Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:10-11). Have you donned the proper equipment?

God needs people today who are “…rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as (they) were taught….” (Colossians 2:7). We might bend, but if our roots are firmly planted in God’s truth we can spring back from the pressures. So take a lesson from a tree and build your life in and on the Word of God.

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan