The Pecan Tree

October 31, 2010

While on a retreat this weekend, we were given time to spend outside alone, quietly, looking for God in our surroundings.  I did not walk very far when I came upon a huge pecan tree.  This tree was 80 to 100 feet tall and probably 100 feet across its canopy.  The trunk of the tree was easily 5 feet in diameter.  The area under the canopy had been cleared out and there were several benches placed there for people like me who wanted to reflect on the beauty of this tree.  As I sat on a bench, something at the base of the tree caught my eye.  A small sprig with maybe 12 leaves on it.  It was less than a foot tall and the stem was less than 1/8 inch in diameter.  Poison Ivy!  This tiniest of plants was certainly not a threat to anyone around and could have been easily removed (by someone not allergic to poison ivy,) yet I could not take my eyes off of it.  The majestic pecan tree was thousands of times bigger than the sprig of poison ivy, but I could not focus on it.  As I tried to look at the pecan, that poison ivy stubbornly attracted me.

It struck me that we are often like that in our lives.  Surrounded by God's glory, we are easily distracted by the tiniest of things which may be harmful to us.  Once the evil catches our gaze, no matter how small, we cannot return our focus to the greatness of God.  We become fascinated and even obsessed with watching the evil.

Here's hoping that you can look past the small distractions and see the beauty of God.

Russ