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Thursday, August 21
“Cut that thing down, p-l-e-a-s-e!” I begged. “It’s ugly. It needs to go.”
But my husband never did cut it down. And so it remained.
Out of the ground sprouted this scraggly, scrawny, little pine twig that must have dropped as a seed from its forefather. It looked just like the Christmas tree in the Charlie Brown cartoon classic and so it got its name, the Charlie Brown tree.
Instead of destroying this diminutive sapling in its infancy, we left it alone to do what it was created to do…be a testament to its Creator.
Year after year, it stood in our backyard beside its progenitor, a towering evergreen that dwarfed its Lilliputian descendant. And year after year, that puny thing struggled to grow. Standing staunch to face the sun, rain, wind, heat, snow, and storms, it faced all the elements, yet protected in the shadow of its forefather. It eventually matured into a beautiful, sprawling pine of 35 feet.
Occasionally, aren’t we this way with baby Christians? So ready to chop down God’s little seedlings of faith, so ready to give up on them as they struggle to grow, mature, and learn. Just because they don’t have all the branches of knowledge, the beautiful foliage of experience we do, or the seeds of future Christian descendants growing in their shadows, we are ready to dismiss them.
However, if we become the staunch support of strength, protecting them in our shadow and nourishing them with our love, they can grow to be a true testament to their Creator, living the life God intended for them.
Lord, may I never dismiss one of children in his or her infancy of faith. May I be a true example of Your love, care, and strength to the one who needs it. Amen!
Thank you, Cami. That means a great deal to me coming from you. Bless you!
Excellent truth. Well written.
Thanks for the reminder to be gentle and gracious to babes in Christ. Loved this.
God bless,
Tiffany
Tiffany, Thank you so much for your sweet words. I took a peek at your site and love it. I've bookmarked it. Will be back to visit often. Thanks so much for stopping by, however you found me! Be blessed in your writing and your efforts to serve the Lord.
Hi Lynn, good word, I like ytour blog, it's very organized and well written! So, that's what you've been doing :)
Hey, cutie! Thanks for taking a peek and for the comments. You've made my heart happy! Bless you!
I can't do much more than to echo the "amen" of others. Nice analogy, Lynn
Hey, sweet Linda! I appreciate you leaving a comment. My heart thanks you. Be blessed, my favorite redhead!
This is a good post. As Paul says, the evidence of the creator is all around us; and as Jesus says, the smallest spark of faith will not be stamped out. Blessings.
Andrew, Thank you so much for taking the time to read my devotion. I'm touched and I appreciate you leaving a comment. May the Lord bless you..
Your analogy shows the need of a mature caring Christian mentoring the babes. Sometimes we "throw the baby out with the bath water" when we need to love instead of judge. Thanks for sharing.
Good word. Thanks.
Walk, I do not know what happened to my comment to you. I must have accidentally deleted it. I'm so sorry. And you are right. We are sometimes too ready to throw out the baby. Thank you so much for your comment and your time in reading this. May the Lord bless you.
Tanya, You are so sweet to share your time and comment with me. I deeply appreciate it. Be blessed, dear one.