Saturday, January 19, 2013

Ticked off! ...Of Trees, Termites, Truth and Trust




Our local newspaper has a column, Ticked off! where people vent their gripes and complains at just about anything and everything under the sun.  It's a rather entertaining read - mainly because I could have written most of them myself. But seeing all this frustration spelled out on paper (or screen!) by somebody else, I always feel that little jab of conscience for I recognize again my pet peeves for what they are – not pets to be fed and nurtured but pests which need an exterminator. On the positive side, there is also an opportunity for the voicing of the Flip Side – where the recipients of random acts of kindness by benevolent strangers share their restored faith in human race dominated by fallen heroes, most recent being Lance Armstrong or Manti Te'o. 

Today the following response to an earlier Ticked off! contributor caught my attention:

To the person ‘ticked off’ over the removal of the tree behind the church:
An arborist examined the tree and recommended its removal. The tree was severely diseased and dying. It was also infested by termites and mold. As laurel oak, the tree has a ‘life expectancy’ of 40-70 years and had reached the end of its life.   It posed a danger to pedestrians and automobile traffic, and consequently the only prudent choice was its removal.

The thoughtful, thorough response of a concerned reader regarding the removal of an old tree took me, sadly, by complete surprise. Its gentle wisdom set it apart against the backdrop of explosive language and short fuses generally exhibited in the column. I could feel something within resonating deeply.

Please, don't be 'ticked off'. This wasn’t a random, careless decision.  The person who knows, loves and understands trees recommended the hard choice.  The tree was severely diseased. The disease could spread to other trees and decimate their population. It was infested by termites and mold. It’s something you may not be able to see from your car, driving by, but after careful inspection you would know there was no turning back. Plus, it has already lived its full, vigorous life, providing shade, oxygen, home for the birds and other animals, in addition to its restful beauty.  
                                              
Sometimes God has to make some hard decisions regarding our lives. Remove a majestic laurel oak with long history and glorious beauty.  We may only see the loss, the disappointment, the shattered trust.  The vast empty space it leaves behind.  But, He is like a loving Arborist who knows beyond what our eye sees.  None of His decisions are made lightly and thoughtlessly. We may not understand the danger this glorious tree has become, the threat to life and property, nor recognize the reality of inevitable end.   When the tree is gone, we can trust the love and the wisdom of our Heavenly Arborist even with a gaping hole left behind. 

And what if the hole is left as a reminder, a longing that nothing...  nobody on this side of heaven can fill or satisfy it but God alone?


When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within,
Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You.
Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand.
With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. Psalm 73:21-25






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