Trees

Trees have a pretty boring life. They grow leaves, they lose leaves. They grow them again, they lose them again. And so on. We can usually tell what cycle the tree is going through by looking at its outward appearance. If it has new leaves, it must be in the "spring" stage. If it has full, green leaves, it must be in "summer " stage. If dying leaves, "fall" stage. If no leaves, "winter" stage.

The tree above is in very early spring stage, as can be seen from the tiny leaf buds forming on the stems (may not be visible without clicking on the image). It's leaves demonstrate the life that is beginning within.

Summer stage . . .

Fall stage . . .

Winter stage . . .

Like trees, the war going on inside of us on a daily basis manifests itself in outward symptoms. Though often it may seem like our war should be directly against wrong behavior, hurtful words, or other outward sins, these are but the symptoms of the inner war raging within.

Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." And 1 Timothy 6:12 says, "Fight the good fight of the faith."

The war we wage is not primarily an outward one, but an inner one. Our outward sins only reflect an inner problem. As Jesus said, "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45). What comes out of us reflects what is in us.

So while it is easy to get caught up fighting the outer war, we need to focus on getting to the core. The battle is within; we must fight there. Our actions are but a visible expression of what is within: "As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man" (Proverbs 27:19). If we want to see righteousness come out, let us strive first to be righteous within.

The glory is that Christ now lives within us, and our outward expressions will not be able to keep from expressing His presence: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).