Giant Sequoias and the Gift of Fire
Is a forest fire normally a bad thing?
- We certainly know that forest fires are dangerous and can do a lot of damage.
- We also see that fires help Giant Sequoia trees to flourish!
How are forest fires a good thing for Giant Sequoia trees?
- Fires open up the area around the trees by burning away the clutter of other bushes and undergrowth.
- The fire also burns away the pine needles, leaves, and dead wood that carpets the forest floor.
- The heat of the fire opens the Sequoia pine cones, so that their seeds fall out, are sprinkled across the now exposed mineral rich ground, and grow new trees.
How is the impact of demons on our lives like what fire does to Sequoias?
- Demons’ temptations burn away the comfortableness of our lives and clear out multiple distractions, so that one decision remains: to either choose for or against God.
- The ‘heat’ of the demons’ activity is intended to open up our hearts, so that we will grow in faith and generate lots of good deeds which will take root as virtues and grow new love in our life and the lives of others.
- From this perspective, we can see that demonic activity in our lives can be a bad thing that burns us to death, or a good thing that purifies us for eternal life.