Treefall

December 6, 2019

I watched it fall. Shortly before, there was a crackling sound behind me, then silence, and another crackling. I turned just in time to see an enormous oak crash to the ground; it was pretty impressive. Later, I trudged through the snow to take a closer look. It hadn’t been touched by a chain saw; it had rotted away at the base till a slight breeze was all it took to bring it down. When it fell, it took out a healthy young tree, snapping it off about eight feet high. I had walked by that same tree just a couple days ago, and hadn’t noticed anything wrong with it. This time of year, none of the trees have leaves, so its bare branches gave no sign of the inward decay. The trunk had no telltale woodpecker holes; from all appearances, it was a healthy tree.

But appearances can be deceiving. Washington Irving told the story of Tom, who wandering in the woods, found a tree with Deacon Peabody’s name on it. It was hollowed out, ready to fall with the next storm. One with the name Crowninshield had just fallen, lying ready for burning. He later learned of the wealthy Crowninshield who reportedly made his wealth by piracy, had died. Appearing healthy, these men were decayed...rotted from within.

Perhaps the roots didn’t go deep. The soil was no different for this tree than for the others surrounding it. Perhaps it was an injury—a wound unhealed that allowed infection. Whatever it was, that tree which looked so strong was felled by the merest wisp of a breeze. 

It’s a life lesson. Appearances don’t count for much if the root is rotten. If my roots don’t go deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love (as Linda prays with our grandchildren), or if I sink my roots into polluted soil, sooner or later, this life’s tree will tumble. And if that isn’t bad enough, when an old tree falls, it often takes out young, healthy trees. Too often we’ve seen young believers whose faith has been shattered by the fall of a Christian they had looked up to. None of us are immune to root rot, so I listen thankfully to the lesson of the trees and pray that my roots go deep into Christ.