ROTTEN TO THE CORE

 

This is one of many landscape problems which came along as an extra perk when I bought this new to me house.  Wondering what in the world?  This is the stump of a 100 +year old pecan the former owners had to remove.  WHY would they not have this stump ground at the same time--I cannot imagine.  Instead of grinding the stump they glued a heavy bird bath to it--perhaps thinking that would divert your attention from the stump.  IT DID NOT WORK!  So this stump has set there long enough since I moved in that it has begun  showing serious sign of serious rot and decay.  The first time I noticed it--I stepped on it and it sagged in.  I began working on seeing how much of it I could get to break off by hand and as you can see--I have made a start.  I need an axe--I will put that on my long list of things that did not make the move with me and I wish had.  The photo is deceiving--it is huge and goes way down---it will take a lot of dirt to fill all this in.  The source of the real problem is the stump is rotten to the core.  At times a left over stump will sprout a new tree.  For whatever the reason, this did not happen.  (I'm no scientist)  So I am left with a rotten stump with no signs of life around it and a hazard waiting to happen hole.  If Hero falls in that hole, he may get injured and will have his feelings hurt for sure.  SO--when we allow something to fester and rot---the eventual decay will leave an ugly scar in the beautiful surroundings.   The time to stop the rot is LONG before the decay is visible.  If ignored and allowed to continue you will have only the remaining scar or hole to mark what once was a thing of great beauty.  When I look at this stump, I realize how much shade and life it provided for the homeowners and the local birds and animals.  At some point something which could kill the tree was allowed to slowly do its work.  Eventually all that was left was the stump and to add insult to injury (or death in this case) the remaining scar is ugly--filled with decay--and a reminder not of life, but of death.  WHOA! That is a heavy thought.

Of course, I am using this as an analogy and metaphor for sin.  Rot and decay---what ese could sin lead to?  I will leave you with that thought to ponder.

"For the one who sows to his flesh

 will reap from the flesh ruin

and destruction,

but the one who sows to the Spirit

will from the Spirit reap eternal life."

Galatians 6:7-8