Jon Sampson

Plant sequoias

I found this on a classmate’s blog and just thought it was a cool metaphor (he got it from Wendell Berry’s Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front). It’s an image worth sharing here …

… I did not grasp the fullness of what it meant to “plant sequoias” until I visited Sequoia National Park on the way to school this year.

Sequoias are the largest and oldest living organism on earth, dating back around 2,500 years ago. They are strong, hearty, nutrient filled, and resiliant. Amogst harsh conditions sequoias live on….. and birth new life in the forest…..for thousands of years. If you plant a sequoia today, you will never see the full extent of its size, splendor, or impact.

That is exactly the point…..planting a sequoia is not a temporary action……it has life long hope, vision, and legacy.That is what I want my life and ministry to be like. I want to make a deep impact on the world that has lasting effects. I want to plant seeds in people to live into the vision and kingdom work that Jesus called us to. I want to do that myself; to care for the needy, help stop AIDS and extreme poverty, conserve and save the natural world, inspire people to live a life of love and grace, help stop violence in neighborhoods and between countries, to spread the news that the Kingdom of God is at hand and has the power to transform and redeem the world. I want to plant sequoias.

plantsequoias

Jon

One response to “Plant sequoias”

  1. RC

    That is a very cool image…i buy it.

    Related (but not really the same point) is that I have always heard (especially growing up in Colorado) that the Aspen tree was the largest organism.

    Interestingly enought, wikipedia does an entry for “largest organism” and in it mentions both the Sequoia and the Aspen.

    The Aspen is the largest if you allow for Colonal Conolies…in which one thing is made up of numerous small things…

    but if you exclude colonol colonies, than the General Sherman Tree, a specific Giant Sequoia is considered the largest organism.

    I think from a religious perspective though, the image of planting aspen trees is a little different, but maybe more evangelical in nature.

    If we are tools used by God to change the lives of people to come to know Christ, and they are discipled (as required by the great commission) then they will change the lives of others, and then others, and others and so on, creating communial colonies connected by God creating Church (with a capital c).

    note: this idea/imagry was hit over my head way to many times for a season at my home church in Colorado.

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