Falling Leaves

Falling Leaves

October 30, 2019

Reprinted from October 29, 2009

While enjoying breakfast with family in the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge and admiring the waterfall on a very stormy day in October, I found myself unusually fascinated with something I have previously thought little about – falling leaves. For a short time, I entered their world and pondered the life experience of those multicolored, delicate objects as they left the tree and quickly fell to the ground.

There were large ones and small ones, and I doubt that any of them were exactly alike. Each tree had a multitude of leaves, so the thought of viewing them individually never occurred to me. As they fell to the ground, however, it was like each one made a brief but personal statement.

Since last spring, the leaves have offered shade and protection, but on this day, their life work was coming to an end. On individual display for a few seconds as they fell, they were making quite an impression on me. After their brief trip to the ground, they would be part of a colorful carpet and then soon disappear.

It was that trip to the ground that had me pondering because of the picture of life that they represent. Every human has a brief time to make a statement. Jesus said we are here today and gone tomorrow, while James compared our time on earth to vapor or steam – you see it and then it vanishes.

Those leaves left the tree and floated to the ground as though they had wings. Some turned and twirled, while others just dropped. Some fell all alone, while others fell in groups. But each one had its own brief time on display.

Some leaves are still hanging on, but eventually, each tree will have just one leaf left to make the final fall for the season. In a few months, a new crop of leaves will appear, and a year from now, those leaves will be making their final statement – a brief but impressive moment of individual recognition.

The falling leaves have reminded me of how much our life on earth is like them. Because there are so many people on this planet, we may feel like we are unnoticed and of little significance. But each of us has our moment of “display,” and even if we live to be 107 years old, it is but a brief vapor when compared to eternity. Our moment in time is our opportunity to display the character of God and the love of Jesus. Regardless of what the masses do, we are to live with commitment and effectiveness as representatives of Jesus until He calls us home to heaven.

When our “leaf” falls, we are on display for a moment as people reflect on who we were and what impact we made in their life. But our concern today should be about our life while “on the tree” as well as our final moment on display. We need to fulfill our role as one member of God’s big family, while staying very much aware of the message of falling leaves as it relates to our future.

It has been helpful for me to ponder these thoughts, and I hope that someone else might find encouragement and challenge in them as well. Thanks for thinking about it. I want so much for today as well as the final day of my life to make a positive statement.

Pastor Bill Ehmann

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RECENT POSTS

“If I Were a Rich Man”

By wvbaptist | March 16, 2017 | 0 Comments

March 15, 2017 The title of this “Ponder” comes from a song in “Fiddler on the Roof.” Surely no one would question why the hard-working father with five daughters would dream of how his life might be different if he […]

“For the Sake of Progress”

By wvbaptist | March 8, 2017 | 0 Comments

March 8, 2017 Property developers try to save the landscape, but if a tree gets in the way, it usually is removed. During recent years, I have observed this process as some acreage that used to be farmland is being […]

“Small Encouragements”

By wvbaptist | March 1, 2017 | 0 Comments

March 1, 2017 Growing up in Colorado, I understand the significance of cold and snow. While unusual, I remember snow falling on both Labor Day and Memorial Day. Do the math on that and you have a long winter. January […]

“Long-Lasting Benefits”

By wvbaptist | February 22, 2017 | 0 Comments

February 22, 2017 In a culture that often focuses on the fast and temporary, it is good to think about things that have lasting value. A quick return is not always the best investment. Financial advisors remind us to consider […]

“Self-Discipline with Discretion”

By wvbaptist | February 15, 2017 | 0 Comments

February 15, 2017 There is something refreshing about a person who has consistent self-discipline. Most likely they do not talk about it – we become aware of it by observation over time. Their life habits are consistently positive and their […]

Scroll to Top