True Colors Revealed
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven . . . a time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 3-4)
Autumn is an interesting time of year. It’s a time of
transition. Students and teachers are returning to their classrooms. Farmers
and gardeners are harvesting the last of their crops. Homeowners are preparing
their houses before the cold of winter descends. However, the hallmark of
autumn, in regions where four distinct seasons occur, is the way deciduous trees burst into
flames of color. Orange, yellow, golden and red leaves paint the horizon with
their brilliant displays.
Did you know those hues are hidden underneath the green all
spring and summer? Sunlight causes the leaves to produce chlorophyll, which helps
to produce food for the trees and gives the leaves their green pigment. As the
days grow shorter and there’s less sun, the amount of chlorophyll in the leaves
reduces. As the green recedes, the vibrant pigments of the yellow to red
spectrum appear.
While we rejoice when spring comes, bringing its verdant splendor,
we can’t deny how autumn trees at their peak colors can cause us to catch our
breath with its brief glory. I wonder, when I am under the strain of
trials, like leaves losing their chlorophyll in the fall, is beauty revealed in
my character? Will the Lord find in me a vibrant faith and trust in Him? Am I
willing to offer a sacrifice of praise in the difficult times and thank Him in
all things?
Honestly, He doesn’t always find that. Sometimes I feel more
like the brown, crumpled and dried up leaf, clinging to the branch, because all
I can do is hold onto Jesus and cry out to Him for help, tell Him how I'm hurting. My prayer is that as I pour out my
heart to Him, even in times of sorrow and disappointment, Jesus will use these
trials to help me change and grow, that I might shine for Him like a beautiful autumn
leaf, dancing in the wind, while I’m still in this world.
Dear brothers and
sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great
joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a
chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully
developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:2-4
NLT)
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(Above image of leaves from Wikimedia Commons by Symphony 999)
How lovely, Kathy, to think that God sees our very true colors and is changing us, regardless of how we may look on the outside. Great insight!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sue. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. As I was researching
Deleteabout how leaves change color, the Lord laid it on my heart. I'd forgotten the bright colors are hidden by the green! I originally had
something totally different to write on my mind.