One day, a tree sprouted in the forest. Its roots were set confident in the midst of a diverse woodland saturated with nestling plants and burrowing beasts. Variations of songbirds poured out their hearts as they swooshed back and forth throughout the morning, making their way to and from their plush nests, gathering feasts for their hatchlings.
Many a critter frequented and sauntered across its cushion floor, scouting and procuring food and shelter. A smell of sweet perfume permeated the air as the forest flowers painted by the dappling sun blossomed and extended their petals, jostled by the busy bees that aggravated their powdery pollen stems.
At first, the tree was a narrow sapling, not much to write home about, but in no short order, and being surrounded by a lush forest teeming with life, it grew very fast. In fact, it developed so quickly that it soon surpassed many of the trees in its forest.
One day, while looking disdainfully out at all the other trees, a discordant seed found a sure root within the mind of this youthful yet vigorous tree. With little hesitation, he thought to himself, “Why, all these trees are really in my way. Better I keep growing and reach my branches far and wide so I can soak up all the sunlight that they keep taking from me without delay.”
And so, he did. He grew mightier and taller. His branches stretched out, and desiring to soak up every last drop of sun, he strained to keep his leaves spread. No sooner had his angled thought begun to unfold that even his growth had surpassed his own estimation, and all the songbirds stopped singing, and the critters stopped crawling.
Faster than he dreamed, he had become bigger and more broad than all the trees and plants around him. Indeed, he grew so immense and soaked up so much sun that no more light was left for his friends and family in their forest. A dark shadow gloomed all around him, and tree after tree, in failed attempts to transpire, sloughed their leaves and died. The plants shriveled up and died, too. And he kept growing taller and taller.
The tree had become the big tall tree, but he was now all alone. There were no more plants or birds singing their songs, just the wind through his leaves and the creaking of his branches. Yet, he stood proud. He was the biggest tall tree for miles around, and he smiled within himself for what he had accomplished.
Meanwhile, while the tree was still a sapling growing in the woods, another life entered the world. This time, it was a baby boy. He was welcomed by loving parents and reared in a caring home. However, like the big tall tree, he looked out at his peers, sneered, and said to himself, “I alone am able. I alone am he. I alone am willing. I alone can conquer because I alone am free.”
Then, the little boy began to lie and cheat. He found that it worked and gave him what he wanted. He justified his compromise with the goal of becoming the best, reaching the top, and finding a way to accumulate as much and as quickly as he could. Soon, he had many bank accounts and people seeking his directives. He had climbed to the top of his mountain and looked out at all the others with disdain and pity. He was on top of the world, but he was alone. Yet, he had reached his goals, and so, there, on top of his prosperity, he smiled ominously at his success.
His triumph was at its height when he thought within his mean mind, “I must have a bigger house; I must have grander glee; I must find myself a wonderful, mighty, big tall tree.”
Without hesitation, he set out with a saw in his hand and savor in his heart. He would find the biggest, tallest, most broad tree. Indeed, he would cut it down and make it the centerpiece of his new grand house.
No sooner had he come through the edge of what seemed to be an ancient abandoned forest than he had spotted the biggest and tallest tree he had ever seen. His eye lighted on it with covetous zeal. He said within his heart, “This is my tree. It must be a sign. I will have it. It shall be mine.”
As the big tall tree stood admiring the expanse of his reach, he spotted movement at the edge of what used to be his lively forest. He shook himself and peered intently at the object moving closer and closer to him. He recognized a familiar menace emanating from within this thing in its bipedal movement but was unaware of its kind.
Rumbling began in the distance, yet out of earshot of the man pursuing the tree with avaristic intensity. Turning his trunk, the big tall tree saw the clouds gathering and actively moving in their direction. One drop, another drop, and yet another still. The storm began. Lighting angrily struck all around the man as he came to the realization of his plight, walking through the middle of this barren field toward his prized big tall tree.
Crack. Bang. Boom. The storm pressed down with torrential ferocity. Soaked and frightened, the man’s spirit began to flag. His movements were reduced to a slow plod as he painfully advanced, seeking cover under the protection of the big tall tree. The wind had been pushing and whipping him to the ground. Finally, he gasped and surrendered his fate to the elements. His spirit had flagged, and he was beaten. Now, all he could do was lay in the open field. He failed to find cover. He was done.
The big tall tree, seeing the storm’s quick advance and knowing the savagery with which it contained, braced itself for its relentless onslaught of wind, hail, and rain. Nearly forgetting about the object coming through the barren woodland, something made him look again. As he turned, he saw its struggle as it attempted to move closer to him. Recognizing the weakness and feeble attempts of this object, he turned away.
In turning, though, he remembered something he had long forgotten—something that was initially a prick and then an ache. Something he once had but had long been abandoned and forgotten. The ache was deep and ancient. It was immovable and unshakeable. He strained to identify its origin.
And then, all of a sudden. Clarity. It was company. It was community. It was belonging to a membership of reciprocity and collaboration that supplied the spark for him to turn back and see this object in its plight. He noticed that the object had stopped and was being beaten down by the storm. Something in the object had changed. He could tell that he was not of the same menacing spirit now that he had been upon entering his lonely woodland.
The man lay there in dismay. His life flashed before his eyes, and he saw the countless faces representing the relationships he had dismissed. He felt the pain of discounting their existence and treating them as stones upon which he walked toward his pathway to prestige. He felt remorse for the many and innumerable infractions he had done to those who loved him the most.
In his humble estate, he cried out to God for forgiveness. The lightning still cracked around him, and the rain and hail poured all the more. He closed his eyes and resigned himself to his fate. In that mysterious moment, he found that he was content. The storm raged harder and pounded down upon his flesh, yet he was relinquished of misery. He just lay there.
Examining him intently, the big tall tree knew that he would not survive the weather’s attack much longer. Lightning was striking more and more, and the bolts were flaring with every instance. And so, in compassion, he angled his big tall trunk down toward the object lying on the ground as far as he could. He sought to shield the object lying on the ground from the rage, so he reached his branches wider and wider.
The man awoke to a tree with so many leaves hovering over his body. He no longer felt the wind, rain, or hail. The hail had lifted. He thought to himself, “I’ve survived.” But then, he heard something so angry and so cruel that it made him shudder. The rain had not stopped pouring, and the wind had not stopped blowing. He heard the storm cracking all around him, but he was experiencing none of its effects.
The tree was beginning to grow weary of stretching and spreading itself over this object. He knew that it was a risk, but he didn’t know that in bending over in his pity, he had exposed himself to the brunt of the storm.
The man came to himself again and said, “I must make it through this storm; I must right all that I have done wrong. I must make it through, and so I will sing this song.” He began the most lucid and lovely lullaby ever sung in these parts. His melody was harmonious. It was a heart song that he sang; as he lifted his voice up, a radiant tune of resplendent music strongly rang.
Taken back, the big tall tree heard his song. It was a sweet, melodious sound that touched him to his core. All the memories of the songbirds flooded him as he faithfully fulfilled his chore. The big tall tree then looked down at the object, singing with all his might, and smiled inside and felt no more spite.
Harkening back to the years that had gone by, the big tall tree spoke to himself in reply, “I have hurt many of those around me in my desire to grow. I have emptied the forest of friends and family, and my strength has become a weakness; this I now know. I shall share the sun if ever it shines again. I will begin now by helping this new friend.”
Boom. Crack. Woosh. A lightning bolt pierced through the heavens and fell squarely upon the tip of the big tall tree’s crown. Whop. Shwhoo. The big tall tree writhed in pain. Jolting upright, he felt a shock radiate throughout his trunk and extend through his branches. Instantly, he shook and quaked. The big tall tree convulsed as the electricity grounded through him to his roots. And that was it. Smoke and fire. He had resumed his posture but was now lifeless as his leaves abscised all around him, encircling him in a covering of leaves so deep that the ground could no longer be seen.
The man once again felt the rain, but the wind had died down. Slowing to a trickle, the rain and weather had finished its cycle. Alone, he looked up at the big tall tree. Amazed at what had transpired, he stood there gazing at the lifeless tree in all its glory. He thought to himself, “Had it not been for this big tall tree, I would not be here today. Had it not been for this big tall tree, I would not have found my way.”
And so, the big tall tree saved the man that day. He went home, had the tree cut down, and brought it to his town. However, it was not to be used for building a bigger house, which he knew was only temporary. No, this big tall tree was milled, planked, and cut into pews to fill his local chapel’s sanctuary. It reached to the heavens in all its pride, yet it died saving an object underneath its protection there to abide. And now, it sits beneath the object it shielded from pain, so to be a reminder that love in the end is all that shall remain.
“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:13
— August 1, 2024