Life Through the Lens: Fuzzy trees

This post was contributed by Kevin Schrapel, and is the author’s personal opinion.

A bushfire has burnt, blackened and devastated the Australian landscape.

Then comes the unexpected – well, unexpected to those who are unfamiliar with eucalyptus trees.

Out of the blackness and char, little green leaf buds appear and in a short time we have these intriguing, fuzzy trees.

While we may not think about this wondrous phenomenon, if you did I’m sure you would be intrigued – click here for more from Life in a Southern Forest.

While this unexpected life pushing through the dark of trauma is a miracle of the tree world, maybe we can learn a life lesson also.

While other trees have buds just under the bark, eucalypts have strands – roots – attached to the living heart of the tree.

This is how the unexpected new, vibrant life can grow through such times of destruction.

Has life burnt you?

Is the heat of just getting through the day leaving you feeling burnt out?

Have harsh words caused you to shrivel into yourself until the colours and joys of life are washed out and a grey blandness is all that remains?

Do you sometimes feel as if the joys of life have dried up and blown away, leaving you with nothing to look forward to?

Maybe sometimes we need to be prepared to accept that there is help available; help to go through the fires and dark times of life and grow out the other side with a life stronger and more fulfilling.

Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches; if you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Today that might read something like, “Jesus is saying, ‘I am the central trunk; you are branches that right now no one can see; but stay connected to me, let me grow you through your troubles, grow you to be stronger, to achieve the unexpected in your own life, and bring the fruits of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and encouragement into the lives of others; don’t struggle on your own; I am here to help’” (Galatians 5:22-23).

Talk to Jesus about it and be prepared to be surprised.

God bless.

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