Back in February we picked up four small raspberry cane starts. You know … one of those spur-of-the-moment purchases as you are walking into Home Depot … because you have the mid-winter doldrums, and you think that if you plant something, perhaps it might help Spring come a little sooner.
So, into the ground those four small raspberry cane starts went.
And then it snowed.
March rolled around. And finally, April arrived.
It hailed. And hailed. And hailed some more.
The temps refused to rise out of the 30’s.
Nevertheless … in spite of all the hail and the cold, the little raspberry canes began to come to life! Little green leaves started sprouting out of the dead-looking stems stuck in the ground. How exciting!
That is, all except one. The fourth raspberry cane continued to remain a dead-looking stem stuck in the ground.
Last weekend I decided it was probably time to pull up the dead-looking stem stuck in the ground. Clearly that raspberry cane was dead. Might as well use the space to plant something else.
Much to my great surprise! … when I pulled the dead-looking stem out of the ground … it’s base was absolutely covered with healthy white roots going everywhere! It wasn’t dead after all! In fact, it was very much alive! I just couldn’t see it … because it was all beneath the surface.
Right away I planted it back in the ground.
Here you can see a photo of tiny new leaves just beginning to emerge from the soil, at the base of the dead-looking stem. You might also notice, in the background, one of the other raspberry canes … covered with vibrant new growth.
That fourth little raspberry cane is so very much like people. How often do we make determinations about what is going on in someone’s heart based on what we can see?
Perhaps you have been sharing the good news of Jesus with someone … perhaps you have been reaching out to someone in love … perhaps you have been praying for someone … or trying to “build a bridge” or restore a relationship.
Perhaps you might be discouraged because there is no sign of any life … at all.
Don’t give up hope! When it comes to God working in someone’s heart, there is ALWAYS hope! We never know what might be going on beneath the surface.
Don’t give up hope!
There is ALWAYS hope!
