Baryon tree on the grounds of the Presidential Palace where the Genocide began when the President’s plane was shot down. It killed he and the President of Burundi.
We all have preconceived ideas. We may even think we would recognize one or at least sense that is something off.
This one happens to be beautiful, green, and leafy
But is a killer just the same.
As I gazed at the mass of intricate roots that crawled across the lawn, I was in awe of the size of this multi-trunk tree and intrigued by it’s exotic look. This country of wonder had many dotted across the landscape.
But I had no idea that murder was involved to get a tree like this.
A hungry bird with a beak full of seeds innocently drops a few on the truck or branches of a host tree. These seeds begin to grow into fingers that wrap around the trunk or drop down to the ground from a limb, creating a vertical root system from branch to ground.
As the Banyon grows, it soon covers the host tree, slowly but surely squeezing the life out of it.
In time, no traces of the original tree remain, even the trunk slowly disintegrates creating a hollow core within the massive tree.
It’s nickname?
The Strangler Fig.
The largest one in existence is in Kadiri, India. It covers an unbelievable eight acres and holds the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest tree in the world. I can’t even imagine what that would look like!
As our loving God watches over us, is this how unchecked sin and temptation look to him? Does he cringe as we continually make one bad decision after another?
When we ignore his pleading, his warnings, does he wish he could revoke free will and wrap us close? Does he want to sweep in and interfere as a strangling vine wraps around our leg, then our arms, our trunk and then finally making it’s way to our heart?
His grief echoes.
His tears fall.
His heart breaks.
Sin changes our appearance so much that eventually we become unrecognizable. It slowly chokes out the person we were created to be, leaving a hollow shell in it’s place.
Like the Banyan tree,
What looks beautiful to the world,
is really empty and dead inside.
Sometimes it just takes us a while to figure it out.
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Proverbs 4:21 For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths. The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast. For lack of discipline they will die, led astray by their own great folly.
-Don’t let sin take root. What do you need to nip in the bud today?