If a dead tree could walk, it would be called Dead Tree Walking.
I once watched a movie about an inmate who was on death row. It reminded me about the internal struggle he must have had when he knew the end was near. Attempts at appeals to save the man’s life failed even with the best legal counsel money could buy.
Recently we had to cut down two beautiful birch trees at our cottage.
Being a bit of an environmentalist, I didn’t want to cut down any trees. There are many reasons why the deciduous trees add enhancement to our lives. The nutritional benefits from the sap and medicinal properties are only a few in addition to other uses such as paper, furniture, and, in my case, firewood. The bark serves as a super fire starter, but only from dead trees! Finnish tradition: use the branches with fresh leaves to make a bath whisk. Whisking the skin opens up pores and detoxifies!
The main reason I like birch trees is the beauty they bring to the environment. The shade it provides when the hot sun beams down. Unfortunately sometimes, the trees get diseased and begin dying on the inside, unnoticeable to the untrained eye.
When is it time to deal with the issues of the heart?
Sometimes we don’t know that we are dying on the inside. Our emotions control us and lead us into depression or anger. Disappointments turn into resentments which fester inside. Fears immobilize us. Soon we are mad at people we love and even at God who can handle any rants or questions we target at Him. We can cry buckets or raise our fists, and He will still love us unconditionally. Even when there is a hole in our heart from so much pain, He is there to comfort us. Maybe He will create a new heart or even if he doesn’t do we still trust Him?
A trunk size hole.
When the trunk was cut in pieces for firewood, I was amazed how much of the inside of the trunk was missing…totally rotted out. Sometimes it’s difficult to see that the tree is actually dead, so we need professionals to point that out. Even then, I don’t want to believe it.
The lesson learned: outward appearance doesn’t always reveal what’s inside. Let others speak into your life and allow God to bring the sap of healing to your damaged heart.
“There are spaces of sorrow only God can touch.” Helen Prejean
The woman who became spiritual confidant for several death row inmates and caused a debate about capital punishment in the United States says she would not want her killer to be executed if she was murdered. This nun quotes, “People are more than the worse thing they have ever done in their lives.”
If a tree could speak, it would say. “I’ve had a long healthy life it’s time to let me go.”
I say, “Go in peace!”
Can you trust God?