“Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.”
Proverbs 27:10
Recently, as I was clearing my property of dead trees, I found myself in a pickle. After successfully cutting and falling a tree in the correct direction—landing it just where I wanted to—I was now facing the opposite situation.
To be sure, I’ve felled many a tree in my adult life and a number on this property. However, this one was putting me in a tight spot, and the consequences of this massive tree falling against my wishes could have meant destroying a portion of my neighbor’s pipe fence and worse. Even thinking about it makes me shudder.
Here’s how it all went down: I carefully secured a rope around a branch at the middle to the top of the tree to get the best leverage when I pulled it down using my vehicle. Next, I attached the rope from the tree—a safe distance away—to the hitch. Now, it was time to prepare the tree to fall in the direction of my choosing. With a strategic bird’s beak cut on the front and a back cut behind, all was good to go—the cuts were made properly. Finally, getting in the vehicle and pulling the tree down was all that was left—until it wasn’t!
Cutting down trees is always an intense moment for me. There’s just so much weight needing to go in the right direction…a lot depends on the equipment and the cuts.
Well, just when I started pulling the tree down, the rope snapped! Pop! My heart sank as I looked in the rearview mirror to see this giant tree shake violently and then stop—now leaning in the opposite direction of my desired fall.
It was go-time; I quickly ran to assess the lean, ran to my shop to look for a strong enough rope, and came up wanting. I prayed. “God, help me.”
No rope, no hope! Mind you, the tree is leaning backward—toward the neighbor’s fence and worse. At this point, I had no idea what would cause it to fall or stay. I was helpless and at the mercy of my circumstances.
Many thoughts ran through my mind, and I immediately called my neighbor. “Do you have a rope strong enough to pull down a tree?” His response was, “I have some straps. Will that work?” My reply was, “Can you bring those over and help me try to pull a tree down?” Without hesitation, he said, “I’m on my way…!”
He arrived with his son, straps, and a steady assurance that everything would be okay. Indeed, in that moment of desperation, God immediately answered my prayers: a friend with a steady spirit, the right equipment, and a servant’s heart.
I re-strapped the tree and successfully pulled it down. A sigh of relief fell swiftly upon me—my mind eased. Just like that, the tree had fallen in the right direction. But it was only because my neighbor was there, willing, and able. In gratitude, I thanked the Lord and my friend (neighbor).
As Pa and Ma in Little House on the Prairie often said, quoting Shaekespear’s play, “All’s well that ends well!“
How Does This Apply To Us Today?
- God has put neighbors in our lives to help us. Who are your neighbors?
- God has put you in your neighbor’s lives to help them. Who are your neighbors?
- Make sure your equipment is more than adequate for the job at hand! 🙂
We press on–in community!
— June 27, 2024