On Sunday, I woke up more early than usually.
Like any morning, I decided to go for a jog before getting ready to go to church.
As much as I train, there are times on the road when I simply stop jogging and ended up walking.
As I was walked around the neighborhood, I stopped and noticed the following tree…
I thought it was a bit odd how in a summer day, this tree is has no leaves. Fall hasn’t arrived yet and this tree is obviously dead. Note: I took this picture afterward and notice there is an X marked on it.
I did a quick walk around back home. As I was about to head home, I noticed another tree.
This time this tree was very busy. Three to four squirrels were at this tree. They were making a lot of noise. I approached this tree slowly as not to threaten the critters. I noticed that they were feeding off this tree. The tree was an acorn tree and on the ground were evidence of a feast….
Not only is this tree growing..it was able to provide food for the squirrels.
Contrast with the other tree, it was a startling difference.
I had been running this route for 10 years. I lived in this neighborhood for 17 years. And it was only yesterday when I stopped and noticed these trees. It was as if God was showing me the contrast of these two trees.
What do they mean…what is God trying to say? I do not know. I am letting this simmer for a bit.
As you see the tree with no leaves. It is marked. Perhaps marked for someone to come and chop it down. After all, what do you do with a dead tree? I never thought too much about it but it must have been quite noticeable to see a street with trees with leaves and this tree that bear no leaves. Yet how can I no notice it?
The dead tree reminds me of John 15:2 when Jesus said, “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
As for the living tree, it reminded me of Daniel’s interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about a tree. He dreamt a “its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the beasts of the field found shelter, and the birds of the air lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed.” [Daniel 4:12]
