Changing Times
CHARACTER
Lessons Learned Under An Old Tree By J R Miller
The tree is often used in the Bible in illustrating worthy and beautiful characters. A godly man, the first psalm tells us, is like a tree planted by streams of water, which brings forth its fruit in its season. In one of the minor prophets, the deep rooting and wide branching of a tree, are especially suggested as illustrating phases of character and usefulness. "He shall cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread." The cedar of Lebanon sends its roots down deep into the earth. If it did not, it could not stand in the mighty sweep of the storms. The ROOT is not a conspicuous part of the tree. Indeed, it is not seen at all. No one praises it. It creeps down into the dark earth and is hidden out of sight. But it is of prime importance. It feeds the tree's life,
and it holds the tree in its place. No life can remain steadfast without deep rooting. Shallow rooting means a feeble power of resistance. Because it lacked root, the seed sown on rocky ground withered in the first hot sun. We cannot find any sheltered place to live in where no storms shall beat upon us. Christ himself faced the most terrific temptations and trials. No follower of His can hope for a life without antagonism. There must be strength of character to withstand temptation, as well as purity of heart to look into God's face. God's trees must be rooted in Christ. It takes both the gentleness of the lily and the strength of the cedar — to make a true Christian character. Gentleness without strength is weakness. Strength without gentleness is only brute force. But sweetness and strength combined yield mature Christian manhood. If there is deep rooting, there will also be a corresponding extension of the branches. True life broadens as it grows deeper. We all begin little — but we ought not to continue little. We should grow into
men, putting away childish things. Some people, however, seem never to advance in spiritual life. One of the strange differences of Japanese horticulture, is the cultivation of dwarf trees. The Japanese grow forest giants in flowerpots. Some of these strange miniature trees are a century old, and yet are only two or three feet high. The gardener, instead of trying to get them to grow to their best, takes infinite pains to keep them little. From the time of their planting, they are repressed, starved, crippled, stunted, their life kept back. When buds appear, they are nipped off. So, the tree remains only a dwarf through all the years. Some Christian people seem to do the same with their lives. They stunt them. They make dwarf Christians of themselves, never allowing their inner life to develop. They rob themselves of spiritual nourishment, restrain all the noble impulses of their nature, shut out of their hearts the power of the Holy Spirit — and are only baby Christians, little dwarfs — when they might be and ought to be strong in Christ,
with the abundant life which He desires to give to all His followers. There is not breadth enough in many of our lives. We ought to grow in height reaching up to the fullness of the stature of Christ. Then we ought to grow in breadth, in the outreach of our lives. Love is the great central quality of all true Christian character, and love should increase continually. The life that does not reach outside of its own little circumference has not begun to understand the meaning of its responsibility. It is said also of this tree that those who dwell under its shadow shall return. The picture is very beautiful and wondrously suggestive of the shelter and the refreshment which are found under the branches of a wide-spreading tree. Just so, there are people beneath the shadow of whose love, strength, and beneficence, others come and find rest and comfort. They live to minister to others — not to be ministered unto by others. They seek to See LESSONS on Page 52
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