The Dry Tree
By Susan Klein
“For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when
it is dry?”
Luke 23:31 (NIV ‘78)
Luke 23:31 (NIV ‘78)
Have you ever read a
familiar passage of Scripture only to have it jump out at you in a new way? When
I read through Luke recently, the above verse did just that for me. After
consulting a few commentaries, I discovered more than one school of thought regarding
the “green tree” and the “dry tree.”
In this passage, our
Lord was hanging on the cross as He addressed some women in the crowd who were
mourning and wailing over the horrific scene unfolding before them. He told
them not to weep for Him, but to weep for themselves and their children, adding
that the time would come when they would wish they were like the barren women,
not having any children to weep over. [1] He then spoke the words above about the tree.
The more I read the
words, the more I pondered. Here was our Savior, the green tree, being rejected
and tortured unto death by His own people. Did His words mean that even as
horrible as the scene was, it would only get worse? Was He pointing them to
future events?
In John’s Gospel, Jesus
refers to Himself as the True Vine and we (Christ-followers) are His branches.
If we, His branches, are to remain green, we need the Master Gardener to
nourish and prune us. If the branches of the tree become dry and bear no fruit,
the Gardener will cut them off. [2]
I surmise we are
living in a time where many of the tree branches have become dry and are in
jeopardy of being cut off. God’s Word is viewed as archaic and not relevant for
today. People are turning away from truth and toward “what their itching ears
want to hear.” [3] On occasion, I’ve found myself sympathizing with people who
choose not to bring children into a world that is turning farther and farther
from our God, and becoming increasingly difficult to live in. It’s easy to slip
into discouragement while watching a tree dry up!
However, I believe
Jesus’ words here are not meant to discourage us, but rather to warn us. To
exhort us to remain green and growing in His Word. To be steadfast in our eternal
hope. And especially in these trying End Times…to cling tightly to Him, our
Ripe Vine. Let us be thriving branches that bear ripe fruit and encourage new
growth!
GOING DEEPER:
1. Are you thriving and bearing good
fruit, or do you need a little pruning?
2. If you’re feeling kind of dry,
what can you do to refresh your faith?
FURTHER
READING:
Susan is married to Mark, and
co-leads an in-home small group. She serves as a mentor to young women, and is
a member of Oakwood’s Peace Team, helping people work through conflict.
