Overtaken by…
Overtaken
by…
On a lazy summer afternoon, Al and
I went for a stroll in our neighborhood park. We sat down on a wooden bench beside
a pond and remained there quietly for a time watching some ducks who were
feeding by the water’s edge. None of
them seemed threatened by our presence. In fact, a few of them came up to see
if they could get a handout!
It was nice to get away from the
traffic on our road and enjoy the peacefulness of the pond. On the way back to
the car, we stopped to read a large signboard posted at the edge of the
walkway. The kiosk gave information about the Common European Buckthorn, an
invasive species of tree that has recently been eradicated from the park.
The Common Buckthorn, introduced to
Michigan in the 1800’s, was primarily used as a hedge by settlers. With a
longer season than most native plants, it began to thrive, growing into
thickets of medium-sized trees with thorny branches that provided protection
against intruders.
Buckthorn
is currently classified as being highly invasive and undesirable, blocking sunlight
from the understory. Its roots release a chemical that is toxic to other seeds
in the soil.
Al became acquainted with Buckthorn
soon after we moved to this location, when the city sent out literature
describing the tree and a plan to eradicate it. He discovered that it was
growing in the large cemetery adjacent to our house and had sent branches over
the barbed wire fence, blocking the view of the street from our driveway.
After clearing out the overhanging
branches using his pole saw, he continued pruning along the cemetery fence for
about half a block, improving the visibility of the road when backing our car
out onto the street. Since then, his mission has been to keep all Buckthorn
pruned back as least to the fence, if not over the fence on the cemetery side!
About three years ago, the city
began a project to eradicate it from the park, hiring a certified arborist to
direct the work. Neighbors were upset during the cleanup process as it looked
like their beautiful park was being destroyed.
However, the result of that effort has made a big difference, with new walking
paths laid out through what was previously an impenetrable thicket, and native foliage
beginning to bloom.
In its tendency to take over acres
of land, Buckthorn is similar to something with which we have to contend on a
spiritual level—sin. With a nature that is prone to being self-centered, we
humans are vulnerable and easily tempted to sin. It is devastating, ruining our
lives, affecting the lives of others and separating us from God.
Jesus recognized this when a woman
who was caught in adultery was brought to Him by some of the religious leaders.
Adultery was against Jewish law, punishable by stoning. But Roman law forbade
Jews from executing the death penalty.
“In the Law Moses commanded us to stone
such women. Now what do you say?” *
they asked, thinking they had trapped Jesus. For a long time, Jesus remained
silent, scribbling something in the dirt with his finger. Finally, He stood up,
faced the crowd and said, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the
first to throw a stone at her.”*
It was an unexpected answer… no one
would throw a stone, because none of them were innocent of sin. Jesus knew
that, just as He knows that we all, every one of us, have sinned and will
continue to sin. It is our nature.
As the crowd disbanded, the woman
remained standing in front of Jesus. Caught in sin, with no place to hide, she
had to face the Lord and come to terms with her sinfulness. However, Jesus did
not condemn her.
“Go
now and leave your life of sin.” *
She left, as her accusers had left
before her, ashamed and perhaps troubled by many questions. But there also was
hope—hope in forgiveness, in being rescued from stoning and in starting over
again…with His help.
Forgiveness, salvation, freedom
from sin… offered not just to her, but to each of us. May we accept these gifts
so freely given by our loving Heavenly Father.
*John 8: 5,7,11 NIV
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