Bonsai

            Have you ever seen a Bonsai?  You know, one of those miniature trees.  Think back to the "Karate Kid".  Mr. Miyagi.  Now you got it.  These trees are pretty amazing.  It is an art to grow them.  The gardener has to snip here, clip there.  Tie a branch up while it grows.  But the finished product is beautiful.  And valuable.  It requires so much involvement from the gardener.  It isn't just your typical watering job and making sure it gets plenty of sun light.  Though those are parts to it as well.  It requires constant care, connection and guidance. 

            If you look at a Bonsai tree, you will see that the beauty lies in the very fact that the tree is not perfectly straight.  But regardless of all the knots and twists and turns, it still grows toward heaven, toward the sun.  Our lives have their beauty in that as well.  Our Father is the gardener.  He puts so much time into caring for us.  So much time into making who we are beautiful.  When struggles and trials come into your life, realize that it is an opportunity to grow.  It is God putting another twist in your branch.  Another chance for you to grow toward Him and show the strength you have in Him. 

            When you step back and look at that tree, it will be the very fact that, though you had many trials, though your life was not easy, you continued to reach for Him.  You continued to grow toward heaven.  Toward the Son.  And that will be beautiful. 

            Each Bonsai is a testament to the love and skill and care of the gardener.  His ability to keep the tree growing despite the knots and the twists.  And so each of our lives is a testament to our Father, our Gardener.  When people see that we have scars and knotted branches, and see that we continue to grow to heaven, that we haven't given up and rotted, then they can see the sustaining strength that we find in Him.  And that may be the most powerful testament we can give. 

SDG