Episode 339: I’m Talkin. . .Tree

I’m talking episode 339 for October 13th, 2024.

This is Joel from the I’m talking microcast, where I share my thoughts on a topic that has piqued my interest this past week.

This week we’re talking tree.

So this is a kind of an interesting word.

You know, sometimes I just pick a word at something maybe that came into my mind.

I do a walk every morning and, and maybe that has part to do with it, except that, you know, I kind of walk in a concrete jungle because I live in Phoenix, but they do try to maintain some level of nature, even in that environment.

And really I grew up in Alaska and so I just love a good tree, especially if it’s one you can climb, it just brings some joy.

It reminds me of my childhood.

Um, you know, the greenery, the effect, and there’s so many, many different kinds and thinking about the world in which we live and, and the vast expanse of the continents and different countries and the different variety of trees that will grow in those areas.

It’s just something beautiful about that creative nature and those trees.

And, you know, when we think of the usefulness of trees, not every tree is useful for something necessarily.

It might just be beauty, but you know, trees are useful for growing fruit, for providing shade, for providing wood for homes or boats, or, you know, all variety of things that trees can be used for.

And for the most part, you know, good things.

I mean, you know, the fact that wood could be used to make weapons is, you know, that’s something that happens in the world in which we live, but the reality is that trees are super useful and they’re, they’re nice to look at, they produce good things.

And therein lies the challenge for those of us who call ourselves Christians.

What would challenge a Christian in the word tree?

Well, the reality is that our God hung on a tree, that Jesus Christ gave his life for us on a tree.

And so it’s interesting that the symbol that Christians often associate with the crucifixion is the cross.

And that’s true because that is the shape, but where does that come from?

Well, that cross came from a tree.

And so when we enjoy the beauty of a tree, when we understand the aspects of trees and the goodness, especially when we look at the garden of Eden and, and the reality of the trees that God created for Adam and Eve, they’re a symbol of beauty.

And yet when we look deep inside, when we look at the actual structure, we realize that God created his own torture chamber, that God created something and said, this is very good that man used to kill him.

And we need to balance that reality.

The fact that a creator God made a tree that’s so natural, so beautiful, that brings joy to children when we climb it also was an instrument of death, but it also led to our salvation.

So trees are an awesome form of what we can know about the God we serve.

Until next week, this is Joel from the I’m Talking Microcast.