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Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1 Corinthians 10:12
Last week a small tornado came through the area where I live. Thankfully, there was no structural damage to my home, though there was a lot of damage done to various trees around my property. I saw the cleanup work as a blessing from God to my health, as this work will give me more time outdoors, exercising in the fresh air and sunshine.
As I surveyed the damage, I took special note of three different trees and how they had weathered the storm. As I considered these three trees, an object lesson came to mind for this letter, so I’m going to present my thoughts in a slightly different format this week. Let’s start with the three different trees, and then we will move on to the lessons that we can draw from them.
THE TREES OF THE ALLEGORY
1. The Stalwart Tree
This tree looked the same after the tornado as it did before. It did not suffer any damage. If you look closely you can see that, directly behind this stalwart tree, there is another tree on the ground. Next to that, you will see the gnarled branches of another that are caught up in what remains of a cluster of trees. This stalwart tree was in the middle of a field, all by itself, with nothing around it to lessen the force and the impact of the winds that beat against it. It is remarkable that this tree suffered no damage, and that not even a single branch fell to the ground.
2. The Suffering Resilient Tree
This tree consisted of three primary limbs, each splitting off from the trunk. As you can see in the pictures, one of the three limbs was entirely severed from the tree. Though 1/3 of this tree was ripped away from the trunk by the storm, the other two limbs stand solidly intact. Additionally, the base of this tree and its roots remain firmly established with the ground. Despite its great loss, this tree will survive and continue to stand strong.
3. The Proud Compromising Tree
This tree once stood tall and appeared to be quite strong. It was the largest tree in this area of the property. It was standing amongst other trees and brush that would have helped to lessen the impact and the force of the winds that beat upon it. Yet, at the end of the storm, those objects proved to be of no help for this tree. This tree did not have any branches or limbs snapped off by the winds. No… it simply bowed down when the pressure of the winds came upon it. As it bowed and lifted from the ground, its roots were snapped. Its limbs and branches remained green, strong, and intact. However, this will only be temporary. With most of the roots being broken and severed from the source that sustains its life, this tree will face certain death.
THE LESSONS OF THE ALLEGORY
You may already be seeing where I am going with the lessons that we can apply in this allegory of the three trees. Let us continue and take them one at a time.
The Stalwart Tree had an unshakable stand. Rain descended, and winds blew and beat upon this tree. Yet the tree did not fall, nor did it suffer loss.1
This tree is likened to a man or woman who hears the truth and faithfully lives by its principles. This is a person who loves God and thereby, keeps His commandments. It is a picture of a person that not only abides in Christ but has done so from an early stage in their life. This is a person who does not have the burdens and the consequences that follow from a life lived out fully for the pleasures of sin and the gains of this passing world, only to be converted by Christ some years into adulthood.2
When trials, pressures, and persecutions come, this man or woman will stand united in Christ. By the strength of the spirit of Christ within them, they will stand in obedience to His commands, come what may. They will not compromise. They will bear much fruit to the glory of God, our Father, who is in heaven.3
The Suffering Resilient Tree also had an unshakable stand. Many of the same things can be said about this man or woman as with the stalwart tree, in terms of their allegiance to Christ and firm obedience to the commandments of God. However, there is one stark contrast between them: the journey of their lives leading up to conversion and getting to the point of making an unshakable stand.
This tree perhaps represents someone who once lived out part of their adult lives for the world: the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. It was only after significant decisions had been made in their life, independent of any true love for Christ, that they repented, fully surrendered their lives to Him, and became a new creature.4
A point comes where a fork is reached on the road of this person’s life. As a result of their past decisions, while they were living for the world, they must now respond to difficult choices. Either they are going to live fully for Christ, seek after His righteous standard, and obey the commandments of God, or they will give in to some degree. When, at these forks in the road, this person consistently chooses Christ, despite all opposition, great suffering is often a result.
These decisions for Christ, may result in the loss of a marriage or a relationship with children, parents, close family, and/or friends. These decisions may bring about great financial loss, or perhaps disruptions to their living conditions, locations, professions, and reputations amongst those of the world. These decisions may institute significant changes to the lifestyles they once knew. However, this person will count all loss as gain for the sake of Christ, and they will stand for Him and the commandments of God despite the sufferings, mocking, rejections, and losses that may follow.5
The Proud Compromising Tree suggests a picture of one who stands for Christ and keeps the commandments of God only up to the point of discomfort. When faced with suffering, threats, or loss, they will bend their standards to keep their circumstances from becoming too uncomfortable. They will produce a variety of reasons to justify and explain why their compromise was both necessary and acceptable.
They may feel quite confident in their ability to stand for Christ and to hold firmly to the commandments of God when the great trials come upon the people of God in the last days. Yet, when pressures come, they fail to see how their little compromises now are eroding and weakening their faith, rather than building and strengthening it. Despite how solidly they appear to stand now, both in their own eyes and in the eyes of others, they will not stand when greater tests come.
Let us conclude with a few general thoughts on this topic.
Consider the following:
A student can attend every day of school and turn in every assignment. They can be attentive in class, raising their hands, and asking questions. The can join in conversation with their peers about the topics being taught. They can give every appearance of having a genuine understanding of the materials presented by the teacher. Yet there is only one method for determining the genuineness and the depth of this student’s grasp of the concepts in the class… a test. The testing of the student will expose the truth, whether good or bad, regardless of what any other student or teacher thinks of them.
A fruit, standing on its own, can give every appearance of being enjoyable to consume. Yet, it is only when a fruit is squeezed, that the juices hidden within it then come out. One is then able to determine what type of fruit it truly is (whether bitter, or sour, or sweet, etc.).
Brothers and sisters, we must be preparing ourselves for the great trials that are coming upon the earth. God in His infinite love and mercy is preparing us now, by allowing us opportunities to face various “little” trials and sufferings, that we might be better prepared for what lies ahead, and so that we might be ready at the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.6
We must not neglect any lesson that can be learned. We must not dismiss or downplay any area where we fall short of standing for Christ and in full obedience to the commands of God. We must make no excuses for our shortcomings, but rather thank God for exposing any areas of weakness in our faith. We must plead with Jesus, that He would help us to overcome now, while standing is much easier.
The winds of persecution are beginning to stir. For many of us, it may not be much more than a gentle breeze at this present time. Let us not slumber under this reality. The days are soon coming when those winds will reach the force of a tornado. When those days come, it will not be the time to deepen our roots and strengthen our faith in Christ. If we fail to stand for Christ and the commandments of God today, while the gentler winds are blowing, how should we think that we would stand when the greater winds shall come.
In the matter of money, Jesus once said that whoever is faithful with little is faithful with much, and whoever is unjust with little is unjust with much. I propose that a similar application can be made regarding our faith and obedience to God’s commands. The one who fails to stand during the little tests, will not stand during the greater tests.7
Let us take heed, that we be firmly rooted in Jesus Christ, and that we are standing by the power of His spirit within us. May God help us to make every diligent effort now to grow, be strengthened, stand for Christ, and obey His commandments. May God help us to do these things now, even when persecution follows, so that we may not be ashamed to stand before Him at His coming, and that it may be said of us: “here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”8
God Bless,
Charles
Amen.
So beautifully put, thank you.