Brenda’s Blog – December 3, 2024
“There are some trees that grow well and then develop eccentricities at the height of their growth. There are some people who do the same.” Sir Arthur Conan Doyle through the character of Sherlock Holmes.
I live in the Piney Woods of East Texas. Giant pine trees, often 50-75 feet tall look healthy and robust. Too often storms take one down and we are surprised to see the vibrant tree is nearly devoid of a central core. The only evidence of life is external. At some point in the development it stopped properly maturing.
I was in a Sunday School class taught by former President of Dallas Theological Seminary Dr. Donald Campbell. In teaching through 1 and 2 Kings he described one of the ancient monarchs who ruined his last years through sinful behavior. Dr. Campbell commented, “This king lived too long.” Isn’t that a pitiful commentary?
One of the most popular phrases among Christians is “finishing well.” We desire to use every day well honoring God and bringing glory to Jesus Christ. As we take our last breath we want our families and friends to gather around in gratitude for a life that served the Lord.
Sadly we see too often men and women who appear to grow well, then “develop eccentricities at the height of their growth” in Doyle’s observation he gave to Sherlock. We need to be arborists who watch over our own development, pruning regularly, and understanding the principles of soul care. We want to have others celebrate our home going, not bemoan the fact that we outlived our values and made a junkyard of our old age.