The Kauri Tree

When I was young, my Dad planted a Kauri tree in our back garden. I can remember being disappointed at how slow it was to grow. Some Kauri trees are huge and are believed to be over a 1000 years old. But that's a long time to wait. Too long. I knew that I would never live to see it grow to any real height, I'd much rather have put a bush in...at least then I could see something happening.

Every Christian has read the challenge Jesus gave to the Rich Young Ruler in Matthew 19:16-30 to sell all that he had and come and follow Him.

We recently were privileged to have Murray Smith tell us his story of how he and his wife Michelle gave all that they had away...their newly built $1.3 million dollar home...so that a new Community Centre could be built.

I know it is meaningless to invest in the material things of this World when it is all going to dust. I've spent a lot of time thinking about how I can be effective for God's Kingdom which will last beyond my lifetime. The things I do though, don't seem to grow very quickly. My work seems very small. Maybe that's because I haven't taken enough risks, haven't given up everything. I worry about that. But I do know my life in Jesus' hands is like the Kauri tree. It might not be visible to the eye, but it is growing.