A Tale of Two Trees

I received 2 trees for father's day this year. An avacado, (pictured on the left and a kumquat, on the right).  As you can perhaps see, neither of them is doing very well right now.  In as much as they have been taking up bath tub space since the cold weather, I was asked to assess the prognosis of the two trees.  (As in "...umm, how much longer will they be in here?")  

There is hope for the avacado, the kumquat not so much, I think.  What's the difference? They both look pretty much dead, right? Well what you may or may not be able to see is that the avacado has dropped all its leaves.  The kumquat is bitterly holding on to its leaves.  When a plant undergoes stress- change of weather, soil, moisture, loss of roots, pests-one predictor that will invariably indicate whether it will recover is whether or not its leaves drop.  If it lets go and makes way for new growth, chances are good it'll live.  If it hangs on to the leaves and they turn darker and darker shades of brown, then it's probably over.

What can we learn about discipleship from trees?  Well, discipleship is about spiritual growth and spiritual growth is about change.  The Difference Maker, by John Maxwell speaks to change and how people [and kumquat trees] resist change because of fear of the unknown.  As a LID, look for change.  But be ready to drop some stuff.  Be ready to change things.  And be ready for stress.  Be ready to respond.  Look for the new buds that will open, even as the old leaves are falling off.  Whether you are changing things or things are changing and you are responding to change: drop the old stuff.

Don't die.  Let go.  Grow.