Lessons from a bristlecone pine…
…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight. Philippians 1:6,9 NIV But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18 (a)
God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. (about redwoods, but also true about bristlecone pines) John Muir
A few years ago, I finally got to visit the ancient Bristlecone pine forest of the White Mountains of California. I had long wanted to visit the forest but had never been there at the right time of year to drive up the high elevation mountain road. When I finally went, I learned so much more than I knew before about bristlecone pines, even though I’ve got one in my backyard and had read about them previously. So, as part of Daily Inspiration, I will be sharing some of the lessons of the bristlecone pines.
One of the most amazing things about bristlecone pines is that they NEVER stop growing throughout their entire lives! Depending on the weather in any given year, they may grow a little or a lot, but they always continue to grow. What a wonderful metaphor for human lives. Like the abundance of snow and rain in the mountains some years, life will bring some seasons of plenty in our lives; those are times when we blossom in many ways whether it’s relationships, hobbies or interests, or skills. Yet even when it’s a tough season of drought in our lives, when it feels like there’s few new opportunities, we can choose to grow in small ways. When storms of life come, we can soak up the life-giving waters of moments of joy and grow anyway.
For those who love God, this is such an example for growing in our faith. We will never achieve perfection until the day we meet Jesus and our Father in heaven. Until that time, we are to continue to grow to be more like God, whose very character is love. It’s not always easy, but neither is the life of a bristlecone pine. Lessons from nature, God’s very creation, and scripture teach us that growing is always vital, no matter how old you are.
So, when you think that life is “too hard” or you are “too old” to learn something new or try something different, remember the lesson of the bristlecone pines who always continue to grow, even those that are thousands of years old.
