The Mighty Oak

We have a huge oak tree in our front yard.  About 50 years ago, the woman that lived there, planted the tree as a young sapling when her son went off to Vietnam.  The tree grew and grew, and every year produces thousands of little acorns.  We find little sprouts growing everywhere.  Of course we have to pull them before they get too big. We've even found them on the roof!  Who wants an oak tree growing above their bedroom ceiling?

There is an old phrase, " Mighty oaks from little acorns grow."  It is meant to express how great things can come from small beginnings.  I think there could be a flip side to that adage.  While oak trees aren't bad in and of themselves...growing on a rooftop might be a huge problem!

The little tiny acorns of sin in our lives can become huge oaks before you know it.  In the beginning, it doesn't seem like a big deal.  A young person sees a cell phone that they think they will never be able to own...they can't stop thinking about it...then, they begin to think they deserve to have it.  It's not fair that that kid can have one and they can't.  It becomes an obsession they believe they can't live without...soon they are sitting in a jail cell for theft.  A mighty oak of a police record is now on their rooftop.  It didn't start out that way...but it never does.  They all start out as tiny acorns.  The acorn of pride turns into the oak of bitterness, the acorn of jealousy turns into the oaks of theft or greed, and the acorn of irritation can grow into an oak of hatred or worse.

It's easier to grab a sprouting acorn while it is still small.  Once the roots start to take hold, it makes it more difficult to get rid of it.  Because, then it begins to invade other areas of our life and before you know it, it has taken over.

Ask God to give you the power of His Holy Spirit to yank the unwanted sprouts out.  He will help you nurture the good growth of kindness and self control, and help the fruits of the Spirit flourish in the garden of your life.