The Useless Tree

A carpenter and his apprentice were walking together through a large forest. And when they came across a tall, huge, gnarled, old, beautiful tree, the carpenter asked his apprentice: “Do you know why this tree is so tall, so huge, so gnarled, so old and beautiful?” The apprentice looked at his master said: “No, why?”

“Well,” the carpenter said, “because it is useless. If it had been useful it would have been cut long ago and made into tables and chairs, but because it is useless it could grow so tall and so beautiful that you can sit in its shade and relax.”

So much can be said about this story that I had to write about it. I could talk about how the carpenter is a wonderful metaphor of Jesus (thanks to George for pointing that one out for me), or I could discuss the lesson that we are all valuable, or reflect on what determines use from uselessness, but I think I’d rather talk about prayer.

I’ve been giving prayer a lot of thought lately, especially since it’s been the topic of discussion in the Emerging Student Leadership meeting Tuesday and in my Foundations of Christian Thinking and Living class this morning. Reading about prayer is always particularly challenging for me. When it comes to the subject of communication with God I tend to feel like I fall short, as though I am sub-par or inadequate. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 commands us to “pray without ceasing” and if that verse is to be taken literally then I have failed miserably.

But I don’t think Paul meant that we should be in a state of isolated, quiet meditation and conversation every waking hour. Rather, I think it can be interpreted to mean that our daily lives should be filled with a constant awareness of God’s presence and that prayer should break the form of rigid routine. Rather than praying only before meals, or only before bed, or only in a specific place, our conversations with Christ should be continuous throughout our day. I like how Christine illustrated this in class this morning. When you are in a relationship, you don’t just ignore your significant other all day and only talk for an hour at night. Instead, you text them during the day, between classes (sometimes in classes); you talk during meals, or while you’re doing your homework. Our prayer life should look similar to or even better than this.

For something that’s so important in the life of a Christian, I still fall short of this. Rather than praying without ceasing, I will make excuses not to. The most common excuse is that I don’t have the time. Throughout high school I had to balance school, sports, work, and youth group. Now that I’m in college the work is more intense and the responsibilities are greater. How could I possibly find time to pray? This just shows you where my priorities lie. As J. Oswald Sanders says in his book Spiritual Leadership, “The time we give it [prayer] will be a true measure of its importance to us. We always find the time for important things.” I can talk up the significance of prayer all I want, but if I don’t live by example, if I don’t spend my day in conversation with Jesus Christ, I am sending out a message that it’s actually not important to me.

I think another big reason I don’t pray like I should is that, at times, I don’t see it as very useful. If we’re talking about having a practical use, then my argument is pretty solid. Prayer does not allow me to get more done; it doesn’t improve my looks or my study habits; it doesn’t earn me money or fame. Like the tree from the story which was no good to make furniture or houses, prayer at first glance will seem useless. But just as the carpenter saw beauty in the old tree, there is beauty and importance in prayer. God created the tree just as it was –tall, gnarled, and beautiful –to serve the purpose of providing rest and shade for the weary. The tree provides glory to God in simply being what it was created to be. Similarly, prayer allows us time to rest in the presence of our Creator and to be filled with the Spirit. In this way, prayer is a beautiful waste of time that brings glory to Him.

The apprentice and I have both learned a great lesson. By being what God has created us to be and following His commands, seemingly useless things bring Him significant praise. The time I spend in prayer with Him restores my weary soul and allows me to be aware of His constant presence. Praying “without ceasing” is just what Christ has intended for His people and through this beautiful communion we give Him all the glory. In Him I find my strength and comfort.  –S.D.G.