GROWTH Addictions banner Home

Hard shell

Lessons from a Sequoia tree

 

 

We need to protect ourselves as Christians from all that seeks to harm our lives but without covering ourselves in a hard shell.

Family Outing

It was a lovely day when my family and I went to Sandringham House in Norfolk. When we had finished our picnic my husband suddenly strode off from the family group towards a Sequoia tree. I don’t recall seeing one before but my husband had been there on a school trip as a small boy and recognised the tree and strode out towards it with a purpose for this in no ordinary tree. Tall and straight it is part of the Giant Redwood family of trees. It is strong and robust yet if you give the bark a poke you will get a surprise. For the bark of a Sequoia tree is springy and not hard and crisp as you would expect.

Here is a tall strong tree with bark that does all the protecting that bark should do but it is different from other trees.

Well protected

I got to thinking about this tree when I came home. What a good illustration it is of how we should be as Christians. We need to protect ourselves as Christians from all that seeks to harm our lives but without covering ourselves in a hard shell like all the other “trees”.

This way of living is something that we have to choose to do. When something potentially hurtful comes our way we easily and naturally throw up a protection around ourselves but we also need to be sure that we have not cut ourselves off from others and not cut ourselves off from God and what He wants to do in our lives. If we do these things we are unable to grow any more.

Are there any issues in your life that you have hidden behind a solid layer of protection which is preventing growth but which God wants to lead you into freedom from? Ask God to show you if there is anything you need to make some hard choices about.

(place holder)

Return to top       Return to Home Page

This article © Linda Faber 2006-2009.