A Nation’s Stability
Man is in constant need of guidance, and God’s ways of guiding him are manifold. Everywhere in the world of nature around us, He has set up His signs for us to read.
There is the creeper which, in a matter of mere months, grows, spreads, bears its flowers and its fruits and then dies. It is a thing of beauty, a source of nourishment and, as such, is a joy to the beholder. But it does not last forever and when it dies, it so withers away that it might never have existed. There is no sign of it even underfoot.
One cannot help comparing it with the tall fruit tree, slow of growth, slow to blossom and bear fruit but living on for many years, sometimes even centuries, and never failing to provide people with its shade, its flowers, its luscious fruits. These two examples in nature are God’s silent messages to us; they are His way of guiding us towards the right course of action in life, and steering us away from what will ultimately lead us to failure.
When it comes to the building of a whole nation, we should not attempt to spread fast like the creeper in the hopes of quick results, but should instead emulate the tree which may take years of anxious waiting to grow to maturity, but which sends down its roots deep into the soil (there is as much of the tree below as above the ground) and which endures the ravages of the seasons and the passage of the years.
Even before it is fully grown, it is of a rock-like stability, causing no harm to anyone, creating no problems, and bringing only benefits to mankind. A nation, therefore, should grow with this same steadfastness and stability, for expansion without these qualities is like building a house without foundations.
What applies to the tree applies equally to individual human lives. If their structure is to be solid and long lasting, the course of patience and hard work must be adhered to.
Building one’s life is not just like building a child’s play house, which can be put up in a matter of hours, and which can also collapse in a matter of minutes. It is a matter of putting down roots, and toiling patiently ever upwards.
