Come Down from Your Tree!

Bear cubs can climb trees! When the mother bear senses danger, she gives a warning call to her cubs and they climb up the nearest tree. When the danger is past, she calls to the cubs and they climb down again.

There is a story that when the cubs are reaching maturity, the mother bear teaches them to stop relying on her protection in a seemingly heartless way. She makes the danger call – and then simply walks away, leaving the cubs stranded.

After a while, desperate hunger drives the cubs finally to come down from the tree. Now as young adult bears, they have to put into practice everything that their mother has taught them about survival, no longer just relying on her for everything.

Could this be a parable?

Of course, it’s good for us to rely on God to direct our steps in life. He always knows better than we do! But maybe you’re feeling that God has walked away and is strangely silent right now. You obeyed His last command, you’re exactly where He told you to be, but now … nothing.

It could be that He’s waiting for you to “come down from your safe tree” and start to use what you’ve learned. You’re no longer a child. You have the mind of Christ, and wisdom is yours for the asking. There’s also another big difference between you and a bear cub – your heavenly Father has promised that He’ll never leave you nor forsake you. You can’t see Him, but He’s still there, waiting with pride and joy for you to step out in faith. Come on down!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, You ask me to trust You like a small child, and at the same time You ask me to step out in faith as a mature believer. Help me now to conquer my childish fears and to live the way that You’ve taught me, mature in Christ. Amen.