The Little Tree

Once there was a little tree in a garden.  It had been planted years ago by the Gardener Himself, Who then gave the responsibility of care taking to  His apprentice gardeners.

The little tree was rarely without attention. The apprentices had great ideas about gardening, and as soon as it had branches the size of your pinky, stretched the little tree's branches upwards and out and tied them to stakes for stability. The little tree continued to grow, but it's branches twisted and writhed around the stakes, and the fruit it bore was bitter.

One day the Gardener visited the little tree. What He saw made His heart very sad. It was very small and sickly, it's leaves yellowed and withered, and it's fruit diseased. "What happened to you, little tree?" He asked. Two great, sparkling tears fell from His cheeks and splashed onto its leaves.

The little tree shuddered from agony and joy. It had been so concerned with it's pain it barely heard the Gardener's voice, but oh, it felt His tears. They burned, hot and deep.

The Gardener began to dig. All around the base of the tree He dug. Until finally, the little tree's roots were exposed. "I see the problem." He said. He clipped and pulled; stretching the root bound tree apart. He found little grubs and killed them. Then He began to replace the earth around it; gave it fertilizer and water. All the while, He spoke.

"I know the plans I have for you, little tree. Plans to grow you. Plans to challenge you. I have a beautiful future in mind; I love you. Life has been hard, so just rest. Rest."

The little tree ached and wept. It's roots had been exposed. They had been cut and pulled and stretched. Everything had been brought to light, and the pain was dreadful. But the little tree also felt something else.

Hope.

Time passed and the tree was obedient. It rested. Then something happened; something altogether amazing. What had looked like death not long before now had signs of life. New roots dug deeper, new branches stretched higher. The leaves grew big and green. And then the most splendid thing happened; it flowered.

The care takers were amazed. "What happened to you, little tree?" They began to study the tree. As the little tree began to bear fruit, the care takers examined the fruit. Some they recognized. "This is marvelous!", they rejoiced. "Well done, little tree!" But some they did not recognize. "What is it?", They asked. "Is it good for food?" So they tasted it and then spit it out. "How awful!", they cried. The little tree shuddered. The caretakers began to prune again; selecting branches that bore sweet fruit to live, and cutting the branches that bore the offensive fruit. The little tree burned with shame.

The next day the Gardener approached and was aghast. "Little tree, what has happened?" The little tree quavered and cried, but soon the Gardener had heard it all. He quietly began to untie the stakes that still bound the branches and gently place His hand on it's trunk.

"Little tree, I designed your seed. In it I placed all my plans for you. My caretakers love me, but they have never seen you before. There is no other tree like you. My caretakers are amazing, but sometimes they only love the familiar."

As He removed the last stake, the little tree felt very strange. "Don't I need those?" It asked. The Gardener laughed softly. "No. Trust your roots; I have planted them in good soil. They will remind you Whose you are."

In time it grew into a mighty, sheltering tree. The Gardener guided his caretakers and gave them new wisdom. The mighty tree grew both sweet and bitter fruit; but when used together, would both cauterize and heal the most grievous wounds. Many found rest under its branches and on a quiet day, some would hear a song reverberating from deep within.

A song of rest, of hope. Of majesty.


Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

Revelation 22:2 On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Jeremiah 17:8 For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.