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An account, whether true or not, is told in Streams in the Desert of an old, southern deacon who would always end his prayers with, “Lord, prop us up on every leaning side.” 

When asked why he prayed that way, he answered, “Well, sir, you see, it’s like this…I got an old barn out back. It’s been there a long time; it’s withstood a lot of weather. It’s gone through a lot of storms, and it has stood for many years. 

“It’s still standing, but one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit, so I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn’t fall. Then, I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn. I’ve been around a long time. I’ve withstood a lot of hard times, and I’m still standing, too, but I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side, ’cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times.” 

A lot of us do get to leaning at times. We begin to lean the wrong way, toward depression, discouragement, giving up, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, addiction, or whatever. 

Solomon tells us where not to lean, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” (Prov. 3:5-6 NKJV) 

If we lean, let’s lean upon our Beloved as the disciple John did, “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23 NKJV), and be as the Shulamite, “Who is this coming up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” (Song 8:5 NKJV) 

Do you have a tendency to lean? Who or what props you up?

 
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Have you ever seen a Divi Divi tree? That’s one in the photo. It is almost a national symbol on the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.

As an evergreen, the Divi Divi trees have inconspicuous but fragrant blossoms. The trees’ pods, wood, and leaves have several uses. Though slow growing, they are capable of growing to 50 feet tall but will almost always be bent at a 45 degree angle due to the constant-blowing trade winds.

Because of this, the trees bend and point to the west, as the winds blow from the east. In Aruba, lost tourists are told to use the trees as a compass.

Some say the Divi Divis are bent over because of leaning into the wind; others say they are bent over because of leaning away from the wind. Either way, the trees have adapted to the winds and grow in spite of them. Their twisted Medusa-like trunks and roots will grow in rich clay soil as well as the sand.

I love these trees! I love how God speaks to us through nature. Maybe we should consider growing like the Divi Divis.

When the winds of adversity blow, do we bend because of the blasting currents, or do we lean along with the challenges? If we lean with the trials, we will never be blown over as long as we are rooted solidly in the Lord. We will still have our fragrant blossoms and always point the way to our Savior, being a compass for others to find their way.

Though we will have the winds of temptation, loss, distress, or others beating against us, we can adapt, persevere, and survive, no matter what the situation.

“Then they will be called Trees of Goodness, trees planted by the LORD to show His greatness.” (Isa. 61:3 New Century Version)