Romans 14:19 (NASB)
So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the
building up of one another.
Many living things need each other to survive. I remember
taking family vacation to Colorado and seeing the Colorado aspens. If you are
familiar with this tree, you may have noticed that it does not grow alone.
Aspens are found in clusters, or groves. We're told that the reason for this is
because aspens can multiply from the roots. They send up lots of new shoots
every year. These become saplings that grow quickly and make new baby aspens of
their own. In some groves, all of the trees may actually be connected by their
roots. It is as if they are one tree.
Another tree, the giant California redwood, may tower 300
feet into the sky. We've seen pictures of tunnels carved into massive trunks
wide enough to drive an automobile through. It seems they would require the
deepest of roots to anchor them against strong winds. But instead their roots
are actually shallow -- they spread out wide in search of surface water. And
they reach in all directions, intertwining with roots of other redwoods. Locked
together in this way, all the trees support each other in wind and storms.
Aspens and redwoods never stand alone. They need one
another to survive.
We as people, too, are connected by a system of roots. We
grow up in families that nurture and guide us. We learn early to make friends
who support us in different ways. We are not meant to survive long without
others. And like the giant redwoods, we do best when we hold onto one another
and help each other to keep standing through life's storms. We need others to
hold us up, encourage us and to stand with us.
When I'm not doing well, it is often because I am going
it alone. I don't always let others in. I forget to ask for help; I keep my
problems to myself. And though I may not see it, others around me might be
doing the same thing.
It helps to remember how much like those trees we really
are. It might be time to let someone else help hold you up for a while. Or
perhaps someone needs to hang on to you.
Dear Lord, help us take the time to reach out to others
to help them and hold them up. We pray that our eyes would be open to those
around us so we can like the great tress hold each other up through the tough
times. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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