(Note: this was many years ago, before the Emerald Ash Borer.)
We were becoming quite concerned about the Mountain Ash trees in our front yard that early autumn. The huge number of berries on the trees were causing the branches to bend down almost to the ground. Was this a sign of some disease? Could the slender branches withstand injury from their load? Finally my husband went out and pruned the worst branches off. But they both still looked terrible.
A few busy weeks later, I happened to notice those trees. One had been completely cleaned of berries, the other was full of robins hard at work. As the days passed, I watched as the robins gradually removed all the berries from the second tree, and the little ash tree stood proudly upright again. Soon after, the robins, well fed, left for their annual trip south. And I remembered the words of Christ spoken to his disciples:
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6: 25-33 NLT)