Deadwood

I've been thinking about storms. We went to bed last night to the rumble of thunder, a welcome sound in our parched community which has been baking in a heat wave. We continue to see triple digits most days; I don't even want to think what August will bring.

But I digress. This morning there is this fair-sized branch in our yard as a result of the overnight weather. Now my man knew this branch was dead and in fact, his reaction was "Good, the storm pruned the tree for me." But to my botanically-challenged eye, it was not apparent at first glance that the branch was dead.

You see, there was a vine that had been wending its way up the tree and around the branch. Lush, healthy, and green in spite of the drought, it sourrounds the branch and much of the tree with its foliage. (If you click on the picture, you'll be able to see it in even greater detail.)

I suspect it even played a role in the branch's demise.

As long as the sun shone, the tree appeared normal, even enhanced in its adornment. But the storm revealed its true inward condition.

What a vivid picture of human nature. We entwine all sorts of things around our lives and our souls, enhancing our appearance to those around us. In the eyes of the world, we appear healthy and beautiful. But slowly, those things are actually choking us and distancing us from the Source that provides us nourishment. The storm comes, our true nature is revealed, and we fall. Or, as I Peter 1:6-7 tells us, our faith is proved genuine and we stand strong.

I've come across a couple of vivid testimonies of this that I'll be sharing as the week goes on. Have a great Monday!