God created all things for a purpose. EVERYTHING! Consider the trees. Their glorious beauty in fall is something I look forward to each year. Last week as Jonathan and I drove through the Boston Mountains in Northwest Arkansas (from Springdale to Van Buren), I asked him which tree color was his favorite. He probably thought this was a lame way to get a conversation started, but I was really thinking about it. His favorite are the golden ones (not the yellow). Mine are the ruby reds.
A few days before our trip, I saw a story on the evening news talking about the trees’ reasons for changing to such vibrant colors. It focused on the red leaves and how scientists (with all their knowledge and technology) can’t figure out the real reason these trees produce red in the fall. The color red has to be created in the leaves. It doesn’t just happen. Scientists have two theories as to why trees expend such energy to create red. One theory is the Sunscreen Theory. It says that as the leaves of the tree break down, they are weakened and the red is produced to protect them from the sun’s rays. The other theory is the Death Threat Theory. In this theory, trees turn red to send a message to mommy aphids to steer clear of the tree when laying eggs. In essence, it’s saying, “If I have enough power to produce red in Fall, think of what I could do to those babies in Spring!”
The truth is, scientists don’t know. It could be one of these theories, both, or neither one. It tickles me to see scientists baffled by colorful leaves. I may not know why these leaves change, but I think God gave us beauty in the process. So many things serve a greater purpose, but we can see how it had an impact in a completely different way. Maybe those trees create color for their own survival, but God uses those mundane things to bring about great beauty. What about your life? Do you allow God to use you? Do you have gifts that you think are nothing special, but God uses them to bring about such beautiful things in spite of you? Have you realized it isn’t about you? God puts us all here for a purpose! We may not ever discover its meaning in the grand scheme (nor may the scientist), but God is glorified. Our focus has to be to give Him the glory and show His beauty. Look at the trees. They do it naturally!
