The Growth of Trees
It's funny how some memories stick and stay, like cheat grass in your socks.
I remember one time as a freshman at OSU, sitting in the MU quad with my mentor at the time, Tom Romberg. He laid on his back in the sun listening to me whine about my lack of faith in some area and how it seemed my spiritual growth was either dormant or so slow as to show almost no signs of progress. For some reason this vignette recently popped up in my thought-stream. My frustration and his patience and the warm sun seemed like just yesterday.
After a while, Tom sat up and pointed my attention to the huge cedar trees that line one side of the quad. The trees stand as a landmark to the area. Plenty of students climb them and hide from the rain under their canopy, and anyone familiar with the quad can picture them. I knew them well. He asked me if I could guess how long it took the trees to get that large. I wondered what trees had to do with my faith struggles, but he just kept on with this train of thought until I caught what he was pitching. I've never seen a tree grow, just, over time, that it has. Slowly and quietly growth rings are added to the whole. Given nourishment of soil and water and sunshine, trees do what they are designed to do ... grow.
Tom reminded me that, like any tree, God was growing me up, and little by little. The nourishment of the Bible and healthy relationships and ministry are used by the Holy Spirit in us to quietly do his work in our thoughts and actions, choices and attitudes. It is in our spiritual DNA to grow in faith. Every person who follows Jesus is seen and known by God, and he intentionally uses all of life to build the best of life in each one. But that growth is rarely seen, except in hindsight or through the eyes of others who see us change.
That sunny afternoon, Tom challenged me to memorize Phil. 1:6 where Paul lays out for his audience of new-ish believers, and extended, to each of us. Listen to it again, as though you were hearing it for the first time.
For I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
As one of the first verses I ever committed to memory (and kept remembering it), this simple sentence has done wonders for me to build confidence when I was shaky in my faith. And countless times, I took a page out of Tom's book and used his illustration of trees with other folks. Simple and yet profound. Let's ponder a few take-aways.
Jesus not only rescued you, but is committed to you becoming your best spiritual self.
Your growth isn't wishful thinking, but something you can be certain of and have confidence in.
The work of God in you is a "good" work (the word means useful, fit for intended purpose, beneficial to others).
Progress not perfection is the key. It won't be done until he comes or we go home.
To be a true believer and follower of Jesus implies that a person grows in their faith and weaves more and more Jesus into the fabric of daily life. The good soil of spending time with God through reading, meditation, and prayer sets a person on the right path. Added to that are relationships with other followers who want the same things. Honest friendships do much to help us grow. And putting it all to work in ministry, where we bring our faith into the marketplace of ideas and needs, pushes growth forward.
You are built to grow in Jesus, regardless of ability or age or any other qualifier a person can hang on themselves, then retreat into as an excuse. You are built to grow, and any believer can help that growth along with soils that nourish. Before I complain that I'm not seeming to make progress spiritually, I would be wise to do a soil check.
How's my time with Jesus and the book?
Who influences me and my thinking?
What am I involved in beyond myself that can make a difference in my corner of the world?
Just re-reading that last bit, I wonder if it can come across as guilt-producing. Not the intent at all. Your growth is God's deal and the great news is that we can fold all of who we are into that ideal and be a part of the process. But, after all, God is the one who does the "good" work in each one. And he has had this in mind from the beginning ... I mean The Beginning! Listen to Romans 8:29, the verse that comes right after the one we know so well ("God causes all things to work together for good....").
For those whom he foreknew (that's you and me), he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son (that's "good" work! And it seems he is using "all things" to bring about that good outcome).
Let that sink in on this Wednesday: From ages past, God saw you and marked you out to grow in your faith like a huge cedar in the MU quad, useful for all kinds of things. We don't watch trees grow, but they do. So do you. Never doubt the work of God in you.
So how about we get to work on our soils. Even this week. Even this morning. And if you want, I'll lay with you in the sun and consider the trees. There are some good ones right around the corner.
And music to pass some time
How about a couple of bad jokes to take us out...
While on a road trip, an elderly couple stopped at a roadside restaurant for lunch. After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant and resumed their trip. When leaving, the elderly woman unknowingly left her glasses on the table and she didn't miss them until they had been driving about twenty minutes.
By then, to add to the aggravation, they had to travel quite a distance before they could find a place to turn around in order to return to the restaurant to retrieve her glasses.
All the way back, the elderly husband became the classic grouchy old man. He fussed and complained and scolded his wife relentlessly during the entire return drive. The more he chided her, the more agitated he became. He just wouldn't let up one minute.
To her relief, they finally arrived at the restaurant. As the woman got out of the car and hurried inside to retrieve her glasses, her husband yelled to her, "While you're in there, you might as well get my hat and the credit card."
__________
Teacher: Class, we are going to have a spelling bee this morning.
Teacher: Stanley, spell "orange".
Stanley: Hmmm, do you mean the fruit or the color?