Lessons from a dogwood tree

I have been pondering how there is often new growth springing forth from that which is dying. Recently, I visited my father in Georgia, and when I pulled into the driveway, I walked past a very old dogwood tree. On that tree were branches covered in moss and, of all things, ferns. 

From a botanical point of view, I know that the moss and the fern are technically siphoning nutrients from the ancient branches on this dogwood tree. But, from a pastoral point of view I could not help but think of the Old Testament scriptures that remind us about new growth springing forth from old tree stumps. One might even say there is new life from death.

In Job the scriptures talk of the hope of new shoots shooting forth from a stump, and in Isaiah the scriptures speak of a fruitful branch that will come from a stump. This imagery has long been associated with the coming of the Messiah. The Christmas tradition of the Jesse tree is even based upon this scripture. As I pondered these scriptures, I began to wonder what the new growth of today might be, and also what might be viewed as the dead stump?

What are the stumps in our lives from which new shoots of fruitfulness and hope might spring forth? Are we so focused on the stump that we miss seeing the tender sprigs that are sprouting up all around us? The stump is not all bad, though. The stump provides nourishment for growth and protection from the mighty winds and rains. The stump can even provide the foundation for establishing and growing a new root system. But the stump is not the focus of the scripture; the hope is found in what is being birthed and nurtured by the stump.

Also important to note is that one day this new shoot, this fruitful branch, will stop being fruitful. It will die back and eventually become the stump that nurtures the next tiny sprigs of hope that are just taking root. Those tiny sprigs will one day grow into fruitful branches, and the cycle continues.

So what about today? Are we acknowledging the stumps in our lives? Are we nurturing the new sprigs of hope that are shooting forth so that one day they, too, will become fruitful? I suppose only time will tell. In the meantime, perhaps we can all learn a little bit … from a dogwood tree.