Pine Needle
Tree goals!
How many pine needles do you imagine my little seedling might need to grow so majestically?
I’m working to manage my hopes, but I am also encouraged that shared soil has nourished this magnificent tree. I wonder if it began as a limp offshoot?
And then I think, haven’t we all?
Here is a tree in all of its full glory. It almost demands your attention. I think about every single pine needle that contributed to its fullness and I wonder.
What if displays like this are actually made to do just that! Demand your attention. Command your consideration. And, then I think if this pine tree were a representation of one’s full life and every pine needle were to represent a manner in which God made Himself known to you by virtue of His workmanship, blessings, experiences, occurrences, sensations, surprises, phenomenons, relationships, what would this reveal?
There was a day that I came upon one of these on a walk. It too was quite grand. I was in the thick of placing oversized and zealous expectations on myself where they didn’t belong. I stopped to look up and it seemed to me they were near the size of this tree.
We’re all given a special gift according to the generosity of Christ. I have tendencies to nudge and wedge my way in where I don’t belong with gifts I don’t have. I can be bent on making contributions that aren’t mine to make. I walked away from that pine tree and stored a personal revelation.
“Settle down, Sparky!”
In the life of God’s showpiece, I do have a part! It might be an itty-bitty part. It could be teeny-tiny. My piece could be puny. But, I have a part.
My role is not likely the lead I try to usurp. But, I have a part. I may be one line compared to a novel. I may be one operational widget to the functioning of a machine. I can contribute with my one line, my one small part, my one limited word in the scope of lines, parts and words. I am responsible and accountable for using the gift God chooses in His generosity. I am responsible to make a contribution.
In God’s work of art, I am but a needle.
Ephesians 4:7
1 Corinthians 12:11