Fall Leaves

I adore crisp, cool weather! Sweaters, and hot chocolate, and wood smoke – oh my! Those first cool days also start the amazing process of the appearance of color in the leaves. Which got me thinking….Did you know that leaves are not actually green? They appear to be green, but in reality, leaves are different colors depending on the variety of the tree, the amount and type of pigment present, the amount of water and sunlight, and the temperatures. Chlorophyll is what causes the leaves to appear green during the growing season, masking the true colors of the leaves. But as days grow shorter and nights cooler, the production of chlorophyll slows down and the true pigments shine through. How would you describe your true colors? The “real” you that is revealed when you move into a new season?

When we are in a season of health and growth, our lives are fairly stable. We may hit an occasional bump here or there, but overall, we just go with the flow. What happens, then, when the cold sets in? What happens when our normal lives come to a screeching halt? What happens when we are moved into a new season? Our true self is revealed. It has been there all along, masked by normalcy, exposed by change.

For leaves, the revealing of their true colors is breathtaking. But have you ever noticed how some years the leaves seem more vibrant than others? How some years the trees defy nature with colors incredibly intense? It all depends on what kind of healthy season they’ve had. According to the USDA Forest Service, temperature and moisture are the main influences in the amount and brilliance of colors during an autumn season. Sunlight and consistent moisture produce lots of sugars, nourishing the leaf and intensifying underlying pigments.

Our true colors in the trials and difficulties of life are firmly established by the choices we make in the healthy, growing seasons. Basking in the SON and nourishing our soul with Living Water produces a strong, vibrant Christian. We are filled with the sweet fruit of His promises, intensifying our love and devotion. Seeking, yearning, surrendering to His will leads to a brilliant display of His splendor.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says, Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. The green pigment of the leaf is temporary. The true color lies beneath. Cultivate your true colors. Feast daily on His Word and be renewed. Live purposefully, with hope. Then rejoice when the seasons change, revealing in you an intense, vibrant life in Christ.