Just to lighten up a little bit between posts, I wanted to share a story I heard this weekend.*
Do you know how an apple tree grows?
If you go to an orchard and look at all the trees, you will see some straight and beautiful, almost blatantly mathematical in their symmetry. Some with so many fine branches covering them over they look like bearded ents. But they have little fruit and that that they bear isn’t very good to eat.
But others you will see are twisted and gnarled and look like they’ve been hit with the ugly stick. In fact, the owner may have hit them, he certainly cut them. Its called pruning and it is absolutely necessary to grow good apples
The owner must cut, scar and beat with a stick the young trees. He lets them bleed and drip sap. He may even pound the sides of the sapling with bamboo poles. The more he wounds them, the stronger they grow. They may grow twisted, gnarled and ugly, but you know what? They bear so much fruit that the branches can’t support their own weight. Braces are used and sticks are put under the branches and tied in place.
First the owner beats them then he supports them.
And the fruit they bear is good to eat. Very good indeed.
*Thanks to Dennis Folds
2 comments:
That's cool! Great analogy! It is certainly true that troubles cause us to bear better fruit than if we led charmed lives. It's like the apostle says, "we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Rom 5: 3-5)
Funny. That's exactly the scripture reading that lead to that story... hahah. God is good!
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