Green or Dry tree!
Sis Bala Samson
Daily Delight Devotions
August 14, Friday, 2026
Luke 23:31" For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
How do you think it feels when you hear the person you love talk bad about you, when they totally don't understand you, despite all your investments - emotionally, financially, mentally and physically? Nothing more painful and agonizing than that!
Jesus heard the people whom He loves, shout persistently "Crucify Him, crucify Him...(v21). Jesus was upbraided, humiliated, mocked, brutally beaten and tortured even though everybody knew He has done nothing to deserve such treatment. Verse 24 says, " Pilate surrendered Jesus to their will." Unimaginable! It is like giving into the hands of stray dogs...
Everybody watched, verse 27 says 'large number of people followed Him". Here, we have a great lesson, Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. (Verse 28). What that statement meant was:” you are crying for a blameless, green tree but watch out your own life, you have no prayer, no Bible reading, no church, no fear of God, no fasting, no Christian fellowship, you hate, you talk about your pastor behind his back, you lie, you cheat, you lust, you steal, you manipulate and still call yourself as a Christian – weep for yourself said Jesus. Are you listening?
Jesus said 'If they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry? -v31 Jesus makes use of an expression, frequently used by the Jews, who compare a good man to a green tree, and a bad man to a dead one. A green tree is not combustible, not able to begin burning easily, a dry one is. A "green" tree is not easily set on fire; a dry one is easily kindled and burns rapidly; and what Jesus meant was - "If they, the Romans, do these things to me, if they punish me in this manner what will happen to people drenched in sins.????
People who work in corporate sectors think that they can create their own 'Disneylands' - fun, fun, frolicking away to glory, not aware of anything. In western countries, they work and save for luxurious holidays. That fever has caught India too, 'enjoy now, pay later offers' with eye-catching EMI facility, people swipe their credit cards, and go for expensive vacations and live the rest of the year paying back the debts. After the vacation when the bill comes, it is heart attack.. Mindless frolicking ends in tragedy!
Pain, suffering or trials are not in the dictionary, people think they can skip, hop, jump and escape them but Jesus said, 'do not weep for me but weep for yourself. Stay determined to read the Bible daily, pray and fast once a week to stay strong.
