Jesus Revealed in Doctrine THE ROOT OF THE MATTER
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees. Luke 3:9.
Mr. Jones had a tree in his front yard that he wanted removed. One summer afternoon he made a decision. The tree really had to go, and it was time for action. He borrowed an extension ladder from a neighbor down the road, and went to work. He began pulling off the leaves, handful by handful. It was a hard job, and took several days. But at last he was done. He returned the ladder, confident that his problem was solved.
All went well for a few months. Mr. Jones had almost forgotten about the tree until one day the following spring when he noticed that new leaves had sprouted out all over it. It had happened so slowly that he couldn't even pinpoint when it occurred. But there it was. The tree wasn't dead at all, but alive and flourishing.
Mr. Jones borrowed the ladder again, and again went over the tree carefully, branch by branch, removing all the leaves. But the next spring they grew again, and the next, and the next. Finally his neighbor stopped him as he was setting up the ladder for yet another try and said, "Look--I don't mind your using my ladder. But why don't you just wait till autumn, like the rest of us, and rake up the leaves? Wouldn't that be easier?"
"But you don't understand," Mr. Jones replied. "I'm not just trying to get rid of the leaves. I'm trying to kill the tree!"
His neighbor went away shaking his head, but returned a few minutes later carrying an axe. "If you want to kill the tree, here's what you need." he advised. "If you chop the tree down, it will be sure to die."
Have you ever spent your time picking leaves, trying to kill a tree? You may think you never have. But how often we as Christians try to die to self by working on the fruit, instead of the root. "We may pick the leaves from the tree as often as we please, but this will not cause the tree to die; the next season the leaves will come out again as thick as before. But strike the ax at the root of the tree, and not only will the leaves fall off of themselves, but the tree will die. Those who accept the truth, in the love of it, will die to the world, and will become meek and lowly in heart like their divine Lord. Just as soon as the heart is right, the dress, the conversation, the life, will be in harmony with the Word of God."--My Life Today, p. 265.
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees. Luke 3:9.
Mr. Jones had a tree in his front yard that he wanted removed. One summer afternoon he made a decision. The tree really had to go, and it was time for action. He borrowed an extension ladder from a neighbor down the road, and went to work. He began pulling off the leaves, handful by handful. It was a hard job, and took several days. But at last he was done. He returned the ladder, confident that his problem was solved.
All went well for a few months. Mr. Jones had almost forgotten about the tree until one day the following spring when he noticed that new leaves had sprouted out all over it. It had happened so slowly that he couldn't even pinpoint when it occurred. But there it was. The tree wasn't dead at all, but alive and flourishing.
Mr. Jones borrowed the ladder again, and again went over the tree carefully, branch by branch, removing all the leaves. But the next spring they grew again, and the next, and the next. Finally his neighbor stopped him as he was setting up the ladder for yet another try and said, "Look--I don't mind your using my ladder. But why don't you just wait till autumn, like the rest of us, and rake up the leaves? Wouldn't that be easier?"
"But you don't understand," Mr. Jones replied. "I'm not just trying to get rid of the leaves. I'm trying to kill the tree!"
His neighbor went away shaking his head, but returned a few minutes later carrying an axe. "If you want to kill the tree, here's what you need." he advised. "If you chop the tree down, it will be sure to die."
Have you ever spent your time picking leaves, trying to kill a tree? You may think you never have. But how often we as Christians try to die to self by working on the fruit, instead of the root. "We may pick the leaves from the tree as often as we please, but this will not cause the tree to die; the next season the leaves will come out again as thick as before. But strike the ax at the root of the tree, and not only will the leaves fall off of themselves, but the tree will die. Those who accept the truth, in the love of it, will die to the world, and will become meek and lowly in heart like their divine Lord. Just as soon as the heart is right, the dress, the conversation, the life, will be in harmony with the Word of God."--My Life Today, p. 265.
RSS Feed
