Dead Tree, Live Tree

It's time to put up the Christmas trees. The smell of the tree and the beauty of its decorated branches can make the oldest person feel like a kid again.

I have apple trees in my lawn. This is a pretty slow time for them. There are no leaves, and no apples. Even though they are still living, it's all going on under the surface. They've been pruned, and are looking bare. In winter, not the most beautiful tree. In the spring they will bloom with beautiful flowers, and bear good fruit.

But now is the season for the Christmas tree. The tree gets a makeover with tinsel and ornaments, with ribbons and stars. But inside the tree is dead. Isn't it funny that we dress up a dead tree? In a couple of weeks or in a month, it will be gone.

Does this remind you of any Christians? If we let God prune us, we can be exposed and bare at times. But His life is still working in us, and in His time, we will bring forth fruit.

Or, we can just dress up what is dead, knowing that some day it will be thrown out, and burnt up.