The Mighty Oak Tree

I was looking at an oak tree from about 30 or 40 yards away the other day and it looked perfect. From my vantage point every leaf appeared to be well formed and disease free. It wasn’t until I walked over to the tree and stood under it that I saw the reality. Many of the leaves were poorly shaped. Many had been eaten by insects and were barely still green yet they were all still part of the entire tree – parts that played an integral role in keeping the tree healthy.

Do people look at Christian congregations like I looked at that Oak tree? Do they see us as …”
perfect from a distance? We invite them to join us and when they get inside they see what I saw in the Oak tree’s leaves. Do they see how well we work together or do they only see the dissension? Do they focus on the damaged leaves instead of the completeness of the tree?

We are God’s people – but we are not perfect. We strive to accept and love each other as the Christ called us to – “…love one another…” (John 15:16-17). Read the scriptures and you will see that we are called to love one another because it will reward US, not them.

I moved toward the Oak tree because I could see cool, inviting shadows beneath its limbs. I saw relief from the heat of the Summer’s sun. When I reached the tree I was within the cooling shadow. Whether the leaves were perfect or not, they worked together to provide a place of salvation from the harshness of the sun. As a congregation we provide the same salvation from the harshness of Satan’s world – no matter what kind of leaves we are individually.

What we need to remember is that each of us is needed to contribute to the life of a congregation. As a whole we need to present an inviting picture. We are unified in Christ just as the leaves are unified by the trunk of the tree. Christ is the trunk of our tree of Salvation. Let us be inviting.

Wilk