The Redwood

Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD. – Jeremiah 9:23-24

Deep in the forest, a mighty redwood stood surrounded by lesser trees. Century after century he remained, casting his formidable shadow across the land, watching the other trees come and go with the changing of the seasons.

One day the lesser trees were arguing amongst themselves. They were debating which tree could do the most with the water that came from the sky. One boasted proudly, “I can spread my canopy over fifty feet in a matter of a decade!” Ignoring the fact that in another he would be gone. Another tree arrogantly replied, “Bah! Mere leaves! I can produce delicious fruit!” But all the other trees knew that if rain did not fall in even a single season, that tree would not only fail to produce any fruit, but could die off. One by one, these lesser trees with their shallow root systems continued their debate as to which one was the most useful, the quickest growing or the most beautiful.

Finally, every tree had voiced its opinion except for the venerable redwood. All the trees waited for his reply, but he said nothing. After a day or two of silence (trees are generally more patient folk than we short-lived humans) they prompted him. “Redwood! What about you? What can you do with the rain? What do you make? What do you know?” Redwood smiled a gentle smile and thought of his deep roots that sank down through the earth to the aquifer far beneath him. He answered, “You may boast of your works, and your knowledge of rain but I - I know its source.”

We cannot boast of our intelligence because it was given to us by a fortuitous combination of genes and circumstance. For the same reason, we cannot boast of beauty or strength. There is only one thing of which we can rightfully boast and that is our relationship with the Source. Only in that relationship, only by sinking our life’s tap roots deep into the sustaining water of Jehovah Jireh can we be sure of enduring life’s many difficult circumstances. Our jobs, our accomplishments, our friends and families – all can leave us. And even if it is only for a single season, that could still be enough to bring us under.

But the one who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on it day and night will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and ifs leaf does not wither. In whatever he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1)