Trees and Silos

Trees don't belong in silos! 

I am sure that trees feel sheltered in silos.

Wind, rain, ice, snow, wouldn't be as harsh in the safety of it's walls. The sun would still share its light. Air would still be plentiful. The ground fertile. 

But the tree would not be useful. Protected but not effective.

You could not pick the fruit off of a tree in a silo. Would there be much fruit?

You could not hang a swing on the branch of a tree in a silo. 

You could not climb a tree in a silo, unless you are my son Caleb, then you might find a way. 

Mr. Tree would not even be noticed by the world until his branches got to the top of the silo's edge and beyond. His testimony would be lacking.

Psalm 1 Amplified

Blessed (happy, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and mockers] gather. 

But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. 

And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].

But he does not live in a silo.

He is useful.

He lets his light shine.

Matthew 5:14-16 The Message

(Jesus speaking)"Here's another way to put it: you're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, don't you think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you there on a hilltop, on a light stand.....shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

A silo is kind of like a big bucket........well, kind of......

And then there is John 15.

Verse 6 really got to me.

(Jesus words)"Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.

Eventually the tree in the silo can be cut down and hauled out. Building material, or fuel for the fire is all it will be good for. 

But living in a silo, a seemingly safe place is not a productive place for a tree.

Wonder how much, we, the church are like trees is silos. 

The world is a risky place. 

We really don't belong in it.

It isn't comfortable. 

Silos provide shelter, comfort, protection. So do church walls. 

I think it is time to tear down the walls of our silos and be useful branches. Let the world taste and see that the Lord is good by giving them a taste of the fruit of our branches. They need to know that He is good. 

Jesus was a man who was despised and rejected. The Bible says He was a man of many sorrows. He understands grief even more than we do, because He did not seek the shelter of a "silo". He was out there among the lost, ministering to a great host of people, sick people, needy people. 

We could have hung a swing on His branches. We could have made fruit salad from His bounty. We could have climbed higher and higher on His branches until we saw the face of God in the clouds. Jesus was a useful and productive tree while here on the earth. 

John 15 says that we are not much of a tree unless we are grafted into Him. And He, the tree of life,  is not ever going to be in a silo. And neither should we.

I recently read a story and saw pictures of a church service held beneath an underpass. The congregation was made up of mostly homeless people. 

The man that started that church was a tree out of his silo. 

Praise the Lord!

Please don't get me wrong! I LOVE church and I NEED church but there is so much to do beyond the walls OF church.