“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon” (Psalm 92:12).
Trees are an amazing part of God’s creation. I love to photograph trees – especially the ones that are old. Recently I was in Lebanon visiting and attending meetings with Tearfund Ireland’s local partner. At the end of a busy week our partners wanted to show us a place that is special to Lebanon. The country has a long history of producing cedar trees and there are several protected cedar tree reserves. The cedars of Lebanon are the trees which Solomon used for the construction of the temple in Jerusalem (see 1 Kings 5).
In the high mountainous regions, the cedar trees grow in conditions that can sometimes be harsh. The winters in the mountains will often be covered with snow, but for several months of the year there is little rain and high temperatures, creating a dry, arid climate. It is the dry, harsh conditions which create the environment for the tree to produce such a strong wood. The dry soil forces the tree to send its roots deep into the soil to garner as much of the earth’s nutrients as possible. Our guide told us, “Nature forces the tree to withstand the harsh climate which creates a resilience.”
It did not take long for my imagination to explore the analogies with my own life. How many times have I realised that the times of challenge, difficulty and hardship were the scenarios that produced in me the lessons, learnings and opportunities for growth?
I recall a time I faced a particularly difficult set of circumstances. It was painful, confusing and I had not yet comprehended the ‘lessons’ God may have wanted me to learn in that season. During that time, in conversation with an experienced leader, I relayed how I felt I was at the bottom of my myself and the pain of my confusion felt overwhelming. Before she said anything a look came over her face that I can only describe as compassion with a mixture of sternness. “Sometimes you have to dig deeper before you can climb out of the hole.” For me, at that time, in that circumstance, those words rang true. That was not an easy sentence to hear; but it gave me a perspective that I needed.
Walking along the path in the cedar reserves of Lebanon I reflected on how many times I, like the cedar tree, have found the only option is to dig deeper to search for the life sustaining nutrients in the midst of a harsh and difficult environment.
Unlike many other trees, the cedar can live for literally thousands of years. The reserve we visited boasts several trees that have been dated to be at least 2,500 years old – a few are thought to be closer to 3,000 years old! The fact that a single tree can survive for that length of time is staggering.
Our guide told us that when a cedar tree reaches about 500 years old, it stops growing taller. Around this age, the top branches of the tree begin to bend downward and fan outward, creating a canopy protecting the trunk and allows the lower branches to thicken and grow. That outward expansion, rather than upward reaching, is a mark of the cedar’s continued health and growth. When the tree ceases to grow taller, the roots continue growing more deeply into the ground, providing durability as well as access to nutrients.
This reveals a fascinating characteristic of the cedar tree. It has approximately 500 years of upward growth and then, potentially, another 2,000 years of outward and downward growth.
Again, the analogies flow.
Once a person reaches a certain age, there are perspectives within society which cause us to limit, or question, our effectiveness, or relevance. In addition, our culture is full of people who are confused about their own sense of meaning and purpose in life, often resorting to striving upward in our careers. But the cedar tree provides an illustration of individual maturity. Upon reaching a certain age, our role is not to rest or stop growing, which can cause us to wither. But, like the cedar tree, continuing maturity requires a change to our growth trajectory. As the tree redirects its growth, creating opportunities for increasing its own resilience, we too, become more mature as we redirect our goal from an ‘upward’ focus toward an outward focus, creating a canopy for others.
Reflecting on my past relationships, I have been most impacted by people who have achieved a milestone in their career and are equally focused on their outward growth and their ability to create a canopy for others. People who have worked hard to reach a stretch goal, as impressive as that achievement may be, are not always the people who are able to provide guidance, insight or wisdom to those who follow.
I learned a long time ago that I can only give away something that I already have. Whether that be wisdom, experience, skills, time or resources – if I don’t have it, I can’t offer it to anyone else. Like the cedar tree, there comes a point where my striving for the heights of success must be redirected to create a canopy for outward influence. At the same time, I must dig deep so I remain firmly rooted where I can access the necessary nutrients to sustain myself. In this way, I will build my resilience and flourish through the challenges and have something to offer those who come around me. Hopefully, for many years to come!
Sean Copeland, September 2023