Lessons from an Aspen
Posted in Daily Focus on Friday, July 11, 2014
"But now are they many members, yet but one body" (1 Corinthians 12:20).
Summer vacation was a great learning adventure for our homeschooling family. As we took trips to the mountains, my children experienced lessons from nature that made both science and Scripture come alive. One lesson in particular came from a large stand of beautiful aspen trees. As we hiked past their white trunks, my son shared a fact he had learned from his schoolwork. "Mom, my science worktext says that aspen trees grow from one common root. Is that true?"
"Yes," I replied. "Every one of the individual trees you think you see is actually one big tree."
Excitedly, he ran from one tree to the next and cried, "Mom, look! This one tree must be over two miles long!"
Talking further, we discussed the similarity between the aspen tree and the body of Christ. "Each believer is like the individual aspen tree and plays a unique role in God's family," I said. "However, we all grow from one common root, Jesus Christ, and we must work together in the body."
Smiling, my son replied, "Yeah, I get it Mom. If we all do what we're supposed to as Christians, we'll show God's beauty like this bunch of trees . . . I mean tree," he laughed as he quickly corrected himself.
Do you know where God has placed you in the body of Christ? Although some gifts may seem more important than others, they're not (1 Corinthians 12:23-24). Each believer contributes to the well-being of the body by faithfully using the gifts God has given. Whether your spiritual gift is teaching, serving, or showing mercy, you can bloom where you're planted and give God the glory as you depend on the life-giving root of Christ's forgiveness and love. "Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Colossians 2:7).
Father, thank You for my place in the body of Christ. Use our homeschooling family for Your glory and let us praise You with lives fully committed to Your purpose and plans. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Comments(4 comments)
JENNIFER G 07/11/2011 00:30:30
Thank u & God bless.
CARIN M 07/11/2011 08:53:10
Thank you for a beautiful illustration. You brought a scripture to mind:
\"I am the Vine, you are the Branches, Abide in Me, and I will Abide in you.\"
We are all the branches of the One Vine. Your illustration shows it beautifully.
KATHY S 07/11/2012 06:21:12
This is an excellent illistration. Your titles are always so interesting as well, I never know what story I\'ll be reading about when I see the title.
You (AOP devotional\'s writer) are quite an Author.
Todays devotional makes me think of our little family. We are all from one root and branch out, but we have a branch that is \"broken off\" so to speak. My neice has \"strayed\" from our family.
She got upset and her temper for 3 years now has kept her from seeing her Father and the rest of our family. I ask for prayer for her as we all love her and whatever her anger still is, we all are waiting with open arms to welcome her back.
Thank you for your prayers.
JANET J 07/11/2012 15:02:04
Wonderful analogy! If only more churches would teach that and people GET it. I think church services should be called worship meetings. We are the ones who should go serve afterwards, not be served on Sundays. It\'s about HIM, not us! I read this once when leaving a church, \"The service begins when the meeting is over.\"