Last year I was out walking and I found a cedar tree. I didn’t know it was a cedar tree, it just caught my eye because it was an interesting shape. It had a lot of branches (yes, I am aware that all trees have a lot of branches!) and these branches were all strong, well defined and separate rather than clustered together. What struck Mr as I was looking at it was how many different branches there were and yet it was a single tree.
It struck me because sometimes in life we are told we need to specialise, to focus our energies on one thing. Education makes is do it, choosing options at each stage to narrow down and focus our expertise. “Jack of all trades, master of none” – the implication being that we need to focus one or two trades in order to be successful. And as we get older, chances to learn new things become harder to find. “You can’t teach old dogs new tricks.”
And yet, here was a tree, standing proudly with loads of branches spread all the way up the trunk. There weren’t only one or two strong branches and lots of weedy ones. The branches didn’t stop when the trunk reached a certain height. Given everything it needs, a tree has no limits.
Imagine you were a tree and each branch is a new skill – what would your tree look like? If you had all the space, sunlight, water and nutrients (or human equivalents) how many branches would you have?
We would all probably have a couple of large branches near the bottom. We learn to walk and talk at a young age. Then we learn to read, write and count. As we progress, some of us learn sport, arts, sciences and/or languages. Some will develop their writing or counting skills further. Some will combine skills.
But imagine if you never had to specialise. How different would you life-tree be? Would there be more branches? Imagine if there was no one telling you to be realistic and discouraging you from certain subjects or skills. Would your tree look different? Imagine you could learn a new skill whenever you wanted. Would the branches on your tree spread all the way to the top?
In the bible, it is written in the letter to the Corinthians that God gives many gifts – different combinations to different people. There is no limit – God doesn’t only give 2 gifts to each, nor does God stop giving new gifts past a certain age.
Just imagine what it would be like to learn and develop new gifts/skills at every stage of life depending on what you want/need at the time. Imagine there are no limits. Imagine you are free to dream. What ‘branches’ would you like to grow?
It’s lent, a time to learn about ourselves. We can start growing new branches in areas we have always wanted to. We can pray for more gifts. We can strengthen branches that have started to grow in the past. We can become flourishing trees with many interesting branches.
Have I taken the analogy too far? Maybe. But I find the visual helpful, maybe you will too.
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