Daniel and Jessica had lots of fun in the big tree in their backyard. They often climbed it and kept some of their toys in it. Daniel had nailed steps up the trunk so that it was easy to climb.
It looked like a very strong tree. There were large branches, lots of leaves for shade and it had pretty flowers in the spring. But right at the base of the tree, ants had built a nest. Unknown to the family, for many years a colony of ants had been hollowing out the base of the tree trunk. The hole they had made weakened the tree on the inside, but no one realized this because they had not seen the busy little ants working. Daniel and Jessica kept on playing in the weakened, diseased tree.
Little things, like ants, will destroy a big, tall tree. And little things, like sins, will destroy a person’s life. Even though there are many trees that aren’t diseased by ants, the Bible warns us that every person is diseased by sin. “By one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:1212Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)). You and I have the disease of sin that weakens us and will destroy us if we ignore it.
One day Daniel and Jessica went out to play in their tree. They had tied a rope to a bucket and were having lots of fun putting things in the bucket and then pulling it up into the tree where they would unload it. Jessica climbed up higher in the tree just for fun. Soon she was up about fifteen feet. Then the tree began to crack and slowly started to fall.
Jessica and Daniel were frightened, but they hung on as it crashed through a bush and hit the ground. They were unhurt, but there was the big leafy tree, all splintered and broken—destroyed by a colony of busy little ants.
If the family had noticed soon enough that ants were hollowing out the tree, they could have gotten rid of them and saved the tree. And you and I, knowing that we have the disease of sin, can have those sins washed away now and be saved for all eternity. Another Bible verse tells us who can wash our sins away: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). The Lord Jesus suffered and died on Calvary’s cross to wash away the sins of every person who will come to Him to be saved. Will you tell Him that you know you are a sinner and let Him wash you clean? He loves you and He is waiting to save you right now. “The Son of Man [Jesus] is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them” (Luke 9:5656For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. (Luke 9:56)).
ML-09/16/2012