On Guiding a Tree

I stood outside the gate of the elementary school that my granddaughter, Soffía, attends. I stood, trying to keep my balance as strong Santa Ana wind gusts came swooping down on me. Once I found my footing, I noticed a tall, newly planted tree right next to me. I couldn’t even tell what kind of tree it was as it bravely stood there, bereft of all its leaves, barely moving, no matter how strong the wind.

Fortunately for the tree, it was surrounded on three sides with sturdy wooden poles that were strapped individually to its thin trunk and then tied one to the other to create a circle of poles and tape that would ensure the tree would grow tall and straight. Looking at that tree, I was reminded of the many Bible references comparing trees to humans. In Psalm 1, we read that a person who delights in the Lord “is like a tree planted by streams of water” (verse 3, NIV). And here I was, standing in front of a school for children. I asked myself: What will it take to ensure they grow straight and tall and healthy? It takes the water of love from caring parents who guide their offspring with the Word of God and the Trinity of heaven: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Those three supporting poles will keep the “tree” from losing its way.

Job was like a well-watered tree, growing straight and strong and gathering his children under the shade of his faith. But one day his tree was shaken to the core, and it seemed that this giant tree had been cut to the ground forever.

But Job understood that a tree that has been guided by the Word of God and faith in Jesus cannot lie fallen for long. “If it is cut down, it will sprout again. … At the scent of water, it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant” (Job 14:7, 9, NIV).

A mere “scent of water” will revive the stump of that tree, and it will soon continue its growth, straighter and taller than ever before, because it’s a worthwhile investment of time and care to guide a tree to its full potential.

Lourdes E. Morales-Gudmundsson