The
Crooked Tree

I was driving down the road one early December day, when I passed a field dead and brown for the coming winter season. In the middle of the field was a tree. The tree was probably an Old Oak Tree. Perhaps older than my parents. But what struck me was it’s bent.

It had been striped of it’s magnificent rich green leaves that summer is shaded with. As well as it’s glorious Autumn’s colorful bouquet now gone. Now you could clearly see what all it’s “adornments” had so carefully covered, it’s bent. There in the middle of the field was this one lone tree, and all that was noticed was it’s bent. It’s imperfection now glaring at all who pass by.

I thought to myself, that is so like us!! We try to hard to hide our weaknesses, inconsistencies, our deep dark secret sins. But there will be a season to which all sin is exposed---just like this tree.

We all have a bent to sin since the time of the garden and first sin. But I challenge you that as in this tree that you do not allow sin to camp at you door so long that it becomes a permanent part of you life (like the bent tree).

That when all “adornments” are off (like a winter tree) it is the inner beauty of one who loves the Lord God with all her heart, soul mind & strength and loves others – this is what people will see when they pass by.

I praise God for the times in my life where He has striped me bare to reveal my bent ness so that through my repentance & contrite heart, He may begin to prune away branches and limbs. Scourge out diseases that may have begun, so that righteousness may take root.

I challenge you this winter while all the “leaves” are off to examine your life in light of Scripture & see if you are bent.