Maine Musings #4: Heartwood
For the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.— I Samuel 16:7 RSV
The tree trunk was 18 inches in diameter and looked healthy to me. This familiar tree had stood for years beside the cabin steps. I can remember the territorial red squirrel that once inhabited its highest branches and how my grandmother, with her white hair swept back into a classic bun, scolded right back at the chattering creature.
Last year’s storm felled some trees on the property, but not this tree. It still stood tall. But its proximity to the cabin and the fact that it appeared to be leaning ever-so-slightly made us decide to remove the tree.
The chain saw began cutting, slowly slicing through the outer trunk, going quickly through the middle, and then taking some time to get through the last several inches of trunk. At last, the tree came crashing down.
What we discovered inside the tree’s unseen core surprised me, and I was thankful we had chopped it down. That same tree that had looked strong and healthy from the outside was completely rotten in the middle.
What we couldn’t see with human eyes, God knew all along.
Prayer
Lord, you see the inner core of all of people and things. Help us each to stay solid to the core, making healthy spiritual choices that keep us grounded within. And may we notice the subtle warning signs of an unhealthy core, both in ourselves and others.
God sees our thoughts; man sees only our face. — St. Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms, Psalm 44
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