Trees and Humans

Recently as Duncan and I were driving home from Arizona between Payson and Heber the scenery is nothing but forest that is lush and green. As I watched the large groups of trees passing, I noticed that there were many healthy, tall green trees reaching toward the sky but right in the mix of them were some trees that were brown, dry and dead. Some of them were even mixed; they had green parts but the trunk and root appeared to be dead.

It occurred to me that these trees were much like humans. Most of us are fresh and thriving and those who are believers in Christ are alive eternally; but mixed in among us are some people that are dying and even some that are dead inside. As I thought about this the Lord took it a step further and it began to rain. The rain fell on both kinds of trees, those that are alive and those that aren’t, just as it says in Matthew 5:45 “…for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.”

Humans however, are unlike the trees in that the trees cannot reach out to save each other. We can reach out and share the love of Christ in the hope that lies within us that they might also be saved; which is where the verse in Matthew comes in again. Verse 44 of chapter 5 says “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you and, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Just as Christ’s love falls on those who believe in Him, it also falls on those who don’t. The great commission calls those of us who believe to share Christ’s love on those who are dry and withered.


God, thank You for the reminder that Your love is unbiased and unwavering. Please put someone in my path today that doesn’t know You personally and give me the boldness to share the hope that lies within me.