Frieda van den Heever wrote this moving story:

“One day, there was a kingdom of acorns at the foot of a big old oak tree. They were fully Western acorns – very modern. The “millennials” busy with purposeful energy. “Mid-life, baby-boomer” acorns involved in a whole bunch of self-help courses. Seminars were offered: “How to get everything and more out of your acorn shell”. There were injury and rehabilitation groups for acorns bruised in their original fall from the tree. Spas to oil the skin and rub it shiny, and various acornopathic therapies to promote quality of life, well-being and skin elasticity.

One day, in the middle of the kingdom, a weird-looking stranger appeared – apparently dropped by a passing bird. He was dirty and did not wear a hood. He certainly made a poor first impression on his fellow acorns. Then he blurted out a wild story to the others. Pointing to the tree, he said, “WE… ARE… THIS.” “Insanity, of course”, said the other acorns. But one of them kept on talking to him. “So, tell me, how can we be or become that tree?”

“Well,” he said as he pointed to the ground, “it has something to do with going into the ground and bursting the shell open.” “Madness!” they called out. “Totally morbid! Why would we want to do that? It would mean the end of us.”

The Word of God works contrary to what the world thinks. The world says we have to fight for our place in the sun. The Bible says that the world belongs to the meek. The world says that the strong will prevail. The Bible says that we must die first.

The acorn must first crawl into the ground. Yes, the acorn must actually die before a beautiful, big tree can grow from it. But before the acorn can creep into the soil and die, he must first see his potential for himself.

We struggle with this. We struggle when the world teaches us to stay above the ground and stick on band-aids where it hurts. In a way, the world becomes nice and cozy for us. Later we even feel quite at home and think this is where we should stay. Yet it stops us from getting to where we need to be.

The Bible suggests to ¹⁰Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.  Or, if we put it in acorn terms, get under the ground, let it break your shell so that you can grow into a lovely tree. Lie down before God and admit that you are nothing. Tell God that without Him in your life, you are nothing.

Yes, in a way, you have to die first.

But then something remarkable happens. A huge tree grows from the small dead acorn. ¹⁰Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.

Believe it. Live it. Be it and show others how.

Scripture
James 4:7-12

Reflection
What inside you must die?
How and when should you do it?
Who can you share the acorn story with?

Prayer
Lord, thank you for the acorn story. It touched me. I know there is so much more in me, and I must bow low before You. I should actually die, but I’m scared. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.